


The End and The Beginning

by Jadedemon76



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Eventual Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan, F/F, Fluff, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-15
Updated: 2017-05-03
Packaged: 2018-09-24 17:33:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 36,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9775793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jadedemon76/pseuds/Jadedemon76
Summary: Emma and Regina make their way home from the wish realm. When they return to Storybrooke something has changed between them. Rated M for later chapters.





	1. Going Home

"I know he isn’t real. No more real than your parents were. If I could crush their hearts why couldn’t I just…” Regina trailed off, worrying her clasped hands. She looked to her companion who was shifting the glowing coals of their dying fire with a long stick. “Emma?” Regina pleaded, despair and fear pitching her tone higher. Emma sighed and looked across the fire at Regina, she still wore her white cloak and dress, vestiges from a life she had barely lived. Her face was set, hard lines across her brow and lips pulling down at the corners. She looked as tired as Regina felt. 

After the portal had swirled closed leaving them in this not-real world, the two had been held by dream-Robin at arrow point until they had given over whatever valuables they held on them. This consisted of the broach clasp on Emma’s cloak and the gold buttons from Regina’s jacket. Dream-Robin made no time in leaving them, with little to say to the still trembling Regina. 

“Regina...” Emma began and then stopped; she had been silent for much of the remaining day, excusing herself to look for firewood while Regina set up camp. They had called Rumplestilskin after dream-Robin had gone, but the imp had not come. Emma took a deep breath and tried again, “Regina. Look, I know. I get it. If I had seen Killian after losing him, I probably would have…” she gritted her teeth. Regina had come all this way to bring her back, she had no right to be this upset with her, and certainly holding this grudge wouldn’t get them home any sooner; but still anger roiled in Emma’s chest. Regina bit her lip and looked down, embarrassed and guilty, she felt grief over the loss of yet another version of her soul mate, and a dull ache for home and the family she had let slip away in the closing of the portal. 

“I’m sorry.” She whispered, she looked to Emma again, eyes full of emotion and Emma softened. 

“Regina, lets just try to get some sleep. We will work something out tomorrow. We always do.” Regina gave Emma a watery smile and nodded as Emma continued “Besides, I’m sure that Killian will be doing everything he can to bring us home.” Regina nodded again and leaned back against tree they were using for cover. 

Mentally she reprimanded herself, she should be thinking of ways to get them home, not dwelling on her mistake. Emma stood up and stretched, her cloak falling to the forest floor. She stooped to retrieve it and made her way around the smoking pit and settled herself next to Regina. “Scoot over, would you?” she teased and Regina made room next to her so that Emma might also rest her back against the tree. Emma draped her cloak over them like a blanket and wiggled herself in closer to Regina who rested her head on Emma’s shoulder. Back home they rarely touched, but here Regina felt the need for closeness, the need to feel Emma’s forgiveness in her physical presence. She was glad that the Savior had broken the tension of the day. She sniffed back the tears that had been threatening. 

Not for the first time Regina missed her rage, the part of her that could find solutions in anger, that could scheme a way out of this. Without her Evil-Queen qualities she felt inadequate, too caught up in watery emotion to be of any use. Where was her resolve? Her drive? This wasn’t the first time since her split that she had felt impending doom, it wasn’t even the first time that she and Emma had been trapped in a different realm together! Regina dug through her emotions, searching for a reason as to why she felt she had failed so miserably this time. Robin, it had to be. To be teased with his presence, to for one moment, believe that there was a chance that Robin was real, was here. Her Robin, alive. That must be it. Regina breathed in, the smell of the wood smoke and forest filling her. ‘Enough’ she thought, ‘Emma is right, tomorrow we will find a way home, I’ll be damned if I let the pirate save me’ Regina closed her eyes ‘and when we get home I am going to find a way to get the rest of me back’. With new resolve Regina let herself go heavy, breathing deeply until she found sleep.

 

***

Emma woke the next day, her neck and back stiff. The fire had gone out in the early hours of the morning and now the sun was shining through the trees. Regina was not beside her, and for a moment Emma felt a prickle of panic. “Regina?” she called, her voice hoarse from sleep, “Regina!” 

“I’m here.” Came the response and Emma instantly relaxed. Regina was there, not twenty feet away scratching notes in the dirt with the stick Emma had used the night before as a fire poker. “I’m onto something.” She said, her focus on the ground as Emma stretched and rubbed her face. “I’ve been up for a while now and I think I found a way to get home.” Regina looked up at Emma, pride and determination on her face. Emma grinned,

“Well, now we’re talking.” She scratched at her hair, still up in elaborate braids. She raised her hands and began to undo the plaits; the relief from the tight weaves almost instant. “What’s the plan then, your majesty?” Regina barely acknowledged the light barb, taking it in stride she continued her marking. 

“Here I think that is your title, Princess” she turned her head to Emma raising her brow to indicate the dress. Emma smiled, ‘good’ she thought, Regina seemed to be back to herself, taking charge and snarking it up instead of wallowing. 

Regina stood and rolled her neck, “As much as I love being middle spoon to you and an oak tree Miss Swan, I thought it might be nice to head back home.”

“Remind me again why I can’t just wish us back? Or even summon a bed? We have magic here, but yesterday you wouldn’t let me use any. If this is my wish-world shouldn’t I be able to wish for another bean?” 

Regina sighed, “This world was created by a genie of the lamp. I am not as familiar with wish magic and what I do know of it, I hardly trust. As I tried to explain to you yesterday, it would be better not to use the magic that this world has to wield. I already used enough in trying to snap you out of it.” 

“Not even for something to eat?” Emma whined, “Regina, I am so hungry I could eat...” she looked around for something large enough to make her point when her eyes fell on a plank by the fire-pit “Gina!” Emma yelped as she dove for the piece of wood. On it was a pile of raspberries, some tree nuts, and several large mushrooms. Regina grimaced at the nickname but let it go. “How long have you been up for?” Emma said between bites of food, “you devised a plan to get us home and went all hunter-gatherer? Seriously impressive your majesty.” Emma grinned up at Regina who couldn’t help but smile back. Quickly though she schooled her expression and returned to her scrawling as Emma finished her breakfast. 

“None of that was poisonous right?” Emma said after she had eaten everything from the plank. 

“No Miss Swan, I think that just the one attempt on your life through poison was enough for me. Now come here so I can update you on the plan. Do be careful with your skirts… I don’t want all of this to be swept away with your carelessness.” Emma grinned again; yes, bossy Regina was much better than whimpering Regina. This was the regal mayor that Emma had grown to love. Emma smiled at Regina who stared expectantly at her. “What? Are you just going to stand there grinning at me like a fool or do you want to get home to see your one-handed wonder?” Regina asked impatiently. 

“Yes, yes of course I do. Tell me all about your brilliant plan.” 

 

***

The plan was simple enough. They would use their knowledge of the real enchanted forest to locate another magic bean. Regina had a list of three places that she knew had once held beans, two of which she was sure Rumple had no idea about. Of the two, one place was fairly close. They could be there within’ the day.

“If all goes according to plan, we could be home for dinner at Granny’s” Regina finished. “We will need to use some magic, the old witch will want something magical of value in exchange. There are some items left in my castle, so I will need to use magic to summon them here.” 

“Okay” Emma nodded along “this sounds like it will work!”  
“I hope so...” Regina bit her lip, her nerves spiking now that the time for planning had ended and the time for action had begun. Emma reached out to Regina and gently squeezed her hand “Hey, this is going to work. I know it. You came here to save me and that is exactly what is going to happen.” Regina squeezed Emma’s hand back, warmth and gratitude for the blonde filling her. “Thank you.” Emma said, quietly. “You…I still can’t believe you came here for me.” She looked at Regina with probing eyes.  
Regina shrugged, uncomfortable suddenly by Emma’s intent stare. 

“It was nothing. You would have done the same.” Regina sniffed and looked away, though their hands remained clasped. 

“Regina,” Emma continued, ignoring the brunettes discomfort, wanting to convey how grateful she really was that she had come, she sighed, searching for the words “I, you…of course I would have done the same, but… still… how is it that you are always the one right here with me?” emotion swelled in Emma’s chest, her voice becoming tight, “it’s always you. Thank you, for always…” Emma trailed off feeling foolish. Regina still looking away squeezed Emma’s hand again and turned to look at her, Emma’s face open and expressive, seeking the confirmation that Regina understood. 

Regina cleared her throat of the tightness that had formed there, “Emma,” she whispered as she unlaced their fingers and tentatively raised her hand to stroked Emma’s cheek. For a moment Emma’s breath stilled and she felt her chest grow warm, she had the urge to press her face into Regina’s hand and close her eyes, to feel her friend and nothing else. For a moment they looked at each other, green eyes meeting brown and then Regina broke the contact and the stillness. Gathering her walls back around herself she stood and sighed. “We should get a move on.” She said, her voice void of the emotion that had moments ago had been copious. 

“We should.” Emma stood along side Regina, feeling unsure of herself after the closeness they had shared seconds before. Emma retrieved her cloak from the base of the oak tree and wrapped it tightly around herself, “lets go.” She said, and the two set off through the forest. 

 

***

“When we get home I am going to reunite with the Evil-Queen” Regina said. The two had spent much of the morning in silence as they traveled; it was not an uncomfortable silence, but rather one of two people who were preoccupied with other thoughts. 

“What?” Emma was startled, “You mean, become one person again, or invite her to dinner?” 

Regina rolled her eyes “Yes Miss Swan,” she snapped “I mean to take her back and…to become one person again. If I can at least.” She sighed, “It has been more trouble than it was worth to be separate… I thought that I would feel freer, and for a time I did…When I thought she was gone, and with her the guilt and the rage, but now… I realize that I need her. She is me and without her I feel a void. I only feel like half of myself…” She looked to Emma “What do you think?” she asked, almost tentatively.

Emma paused, what did she think? Only days before she was ready to kill the Evil Queen, happy to do it even. If Regina wanted to become one person again it would take the threat of The Queen terrorizing them away, but what about what it would do to Regina? “It’s your choice, but....” Emma stopped walking and waited for Regina to notice. “I will support you in your decision. I always will.” She looked to her friend “I still want you to find your happy ending and if reuniting you with her will help you, then I’m all for it. As long as you’re sure that this is what you want.” 

“It is.” Regina said simply, and Emma nodded as they started to walk again.

“Well, then when we get home, we have our work cut out of us.” 

Regina smiled at Emma, “Then you’ll help me?” 

“Always” Emma replied. 

 

It was almost dark by the time they reached the edge of the wood. Beyond it lay a meadow and in the dim light they could make out a small cottage. “That’s it” Regina breathed, in the last few hours it had gotten much colder and her nose was red, she envied Emma’s cloak. “Let’s go, I could kill for a hot bath.” Emma agreed, she was out of breath herself from dragging her heavy gown through the forest and was just as eager to clean herself. 

“God, yes please.” 

They made their way to the cottage and banged on the door, “Open up!” Regina ordered in her most queenly and commanding voice, and they heard a shuffling from inside.

“Who is there?” came the withered voice of the witch

“Two travelers trained in the magical arts. We are here to do business.” Regina replied. The door opened and before them was a woman so stooped and old that her face peered perpetually down to the floor. 

The old witch chuckled, “Queen Regina and Princess Emma, here to do business with little old me? And what is it that you want?” 

“We need to leave this realm and we think that you have a way for us to do that” Emma said, the old woman craned her neck up to look at her.  
“I do. I have for many years been one of the only witches powerful enough to keep that particular artifact, why should I give to you now?”

“Well,” Regina started holding up a leather bag, impatient to be on their way home “here I have the grimoire of the Lady of Avalon. A priceless resource, long thought lost to this world, surely that is an even trade for a bean that you have never used.” 

The old witch cackled, “Oh, yes I do think so. If that is indeed the book that will certainly be a find trade. Let’s have a look.” She thrust out her hand to inspect the book, but Regina held it back 

“Not until we see the bean.” She said grimly. 

“Very well, come in then.” She ushered the two inside her dim and stuffy cottage. “Have a seat if you like” The witch said gesturing to two chairs, one of which a fat ferret was sleeping on. Emma glanced at Regina who wrinkled her nose in disgust.

“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary, we will just make the trade and be gone.” 

“Suit yourselves,” The old witch muttered as she rifled through shelves packed with jars and boxes. “Here we are,” she said gleefully holding up a tiny pouch. “Now show me the book!” Regina pulled the book out from the leather-carrying bag and showed it to the witch “Yes, yes that’s it!” she chortled, “Alright, alright a fine trade indeed.” She reached out to hand Regina the pouch and Regina gave her the book. Inside the pouch was a single glowing bean, Emma let out a sigh of relief. She had not had the faith that the book would be sufficient, nor was she so certain that the witch had even had the bean. Now it was in their possession and the two women turned to go.  
The old witch lost in the magic of the text didn’t even notice as they closed the door to her cottage behind them.

“Oh, thank god.” Regina said, “Now, lets get out of here before something else happens.”

Emma grinned at her friend, “I couldn’t agree more.”

Regina threw the bean down and immediately the familiar green portal swirled open. “Ready?” Emma said,

“Oh, yes indeed Miss Swan.” Regina reached out for Emma and hand in hand they jumped into the churning mist that would take them home.


	2. Now What?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heads up: There is some Captain Swan in this story and in this chapter! But Swan Queen is always, always, always endgame. 
> 
> Also, I am not touching the Gideon storyline. I probably won't get too detailed (if at all) with any of Emma's tremors or death visions.

Emma and Regina tumbled out of the portal and landed on a deserted Main Street. 

“That was a bumpy ride” Emma said, reaching out a hand to help Regina stand “Are you okay?” 

“I’ll be fine.” Regina gritted her teeth against the pain in her knee “Just a bruise.” She turned to Emma, a smile forming on her lips; readying to celebrate their return she lifted her arms. Emma turned to Regina and faltered as a bellowed “Swan!” echoed through the otherwise silent night.  
“Emma.” Hook panted as he lurched to a halt in front of them, throwing his arms around the blonde woman. “Oh luv, you’re back. When I saw the green light I knew it would be you.” 

“Killian!” Emma clung to Hook, Regina rolled her eyes and cleared her throat,

“So what did we miss?” she asked as she ushered the couple in the direction of The Loft. Hook was too busy trying to bury his face in Emma’s neck and hair to notice Regina’s question. Emma looked to Regina with an embarrassed tinge of pink to her cheeks.

“Killian?” Emma prompted

“Ah, well.” The pirate removed his face from Emma’s cloak. “Your better half is at large, but we managed to take the genie and the lamp away from her. For the last day our energies have been spent preparing to get our Swan back, but it looks like she found a way home to us.” Hook smiled and tugged Emma even closer. 

“Killian,” Emma protested but didn’t pull away “Regina was actually the one who figured that out.” Hook ignored her pushed on up the stairs to the loft, his leather coat flapping behind him.

“Look who it is!” Hook cried jovially as he led the way across the threshold. 

“Moms!” Henry leapt up from the love seat and beamed and David quietly cheered with a sleeping Neal in his arms. Regina went to Henry and Emma disentangled herself from Hook to join the pair. “I knew you’d be back with her.” Henry grinned at Regina, his arms around both of his mothers. “So what happened?”

“Well Kid, your Mom and I had it pretty easy this time thanks to her quick work.” Emma winked at Regina, who nervously smoothed Henry’s hair. 

“Yes, well it would have been quicker had Robin not shown up.” Regina Admitted. David reached out to pass the now alert baby to his sister.

“How could Robin have been there?” he asked, furrowing his brow and squaring his stance. 

“It was a whole copy of our world, actually the enchanted forest, only with slight…major differences. One of them being that there was a living copy of Robin Hood, who robbed us.” Emma said looking from her brother to her father significantly. 

“Ah, I see.” David’s eyes softened as he took in Regina, who huffed under the scrutiny. 

“We should eat.” Henry interjected, looking hopeful that this was the type of uncomfortable talk that could be squashed with pie.

“Amen to that.” Hook chimed in “I wouldn’t say no to something at Granny’s.” 

***

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Henry.” Regina kissed the top of his head and waved goodbye to the rest of the crowd that had gathered at the diner. She had enjoyed the friendly faces of the townspeople, felt glad to be welcomed back as one of them, but she was ready to call the night to an end. As she made her out onto the street she turned back at the sound of her name.  
“Regina, wait!”  
“Emma? What not had enough of me yet?” Regina smirked and Emma rolled her eyes.  
“Well, sort of” the blonde laughed “I just wanted to say that I meant it back in the forest. I’ll help you with the…reattachment. We can start tomorrow. I’ll bring lunch!”  
“Okay.” Regina smiled at her friend “See you tomorrow then, Savior.”  
“Okay. Cool.” Emma turned to go back inside but stopped, and after only a seconds hesitation she spun around and pulled Regina into a quick hug.

*** 

Regina woke the next day feeling sore. She had been too tired the night before to take her bath and now she filled her Jacuzzi with steaming water from the tap. Regina was highly anticipating this and instead of waiting for the tub to fill she got right in and let the stream fall directly against her feet. She relished the contrast of cool porcelain and hot water against her skin. Letting the tub fill she slid deeper down, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “Oh yes” she purred, “This was so needed.”  
Regina could feel the hot water doing its work, the muscles in her thighs and back uncoiling. Now that she was home she tipped into her magic and let it flow through her body, warming and relaxing her further still. She took her time; until she was sure that the forest was washed away. As she soaped and massaged her scalp she let her mind go over the last few days with Emma. 

Regina had reacted on instinct alone and blinked out of a reality she was certain of to chase Emma Swan into a twisted wish. She had not thought once of Henry, sure that he would be safe in town. She had taken it upon herself to chase after the Savior, certain that she should be the one to go after her. It was her job, her right. They saved each other; after all they had been through their debts would never be repaid. 

As Regina lay back in her tub, she let herself go still. What was it she felt drifting up from some secret place? It was an echo of something recent, a moment when she sat in the woods and held Emma’s face. What had she seen in her eyes? Regina knew that that moment had been significant. Even now she could feel the way Emma had ever so slightly leaned into her touch, she felt even now the heat that the contact of their skin had created. The gesture was new, but there was the familiar question in Emma’s eyes. One that Regina herself had asked again and again. The one that kept them at each other’s throats in times of peace and the one that had Emma saving Regina from the wraith, from the darkness. It was the question that pounded through Regina as she followed Emma to hell, as she threw herself into the unknown again and again. For her.

‘If I push, will you push back?’ 

The water was growing cold and Regina felt the prickle of goose bumps tightening across her skin, she shivered and turned the faucet back on, adding more heat. Thinking of Robin now she let herself long for him and opened the doors to her hurt and her grief. For the first time since his true death she wanted to feel his absence. She wanted to know that she was worse off without him, that he was her happy ending. Regina wanted to feel that without him she would never experience again the acceptance of who she was, who she wanted to be. She felt the dull ache of a life she was certain of lost. She felt the shock, hope, and then rejection of seeing Robin again, seeing a Robin that was not her Robin. She needed this pain right now; she needed it to squash out something far more frightening. It was the feeling that drifted up from some secret place, the one that she had spent years packing away and pushing down; the feeling that came when she gently brushed against Emma’s face.

***  
“Regina!” Emma’s voice rang through the house. Regina shot up, water splashing around her. She had fallen asleep, or zoned out. What time was it? As she stood up she noted the passage of the morning in her pruned and wrinkled fingers and toes. Yes, she had certainly let her mind wander. “Regina? Are you here?” came the voice again, closer this time. The blonde had obviously taken it upon herself to traipse about looking for her. 

“I’m in the bath, I’ll be out in just a moment!” Regina called back. She slipped a robe on and combed her hair.

“I’ll be in the kitchen.” Came Emma’s reply. From inside her bedroom? Regina shrugged off the blonde’s tactlessness and proceeded to dress herself in the bathroom.

***

In the kitchen Emma unpacked their lunches. Chinese, because it was one of Emma’s favorites and she had never seen Regina turn down a plate of chicken and broccoli. She pulled out her own sesame chicken container and moved about the kitchen preparing their plates. She looked at the clock, it was only 11:30, but she had a rocky morning and wanted to work on something constructive. 

***  
When she had returned from Granny’s the night before she had been exhausted. Hook pressed her against the wall and kissed her fiercely. “Emma Swan. I thought I would have to chase you across the realms” he breathed. His mouth was hot and wet against her neck and face, his stubble scratching at her skin. She felt a moment of arousal, but it faded fast. Still in her “Princess Emma” clothes all she could think about was the bath that Regina had mentioned. 

“Killian,” she whispered and pushed him back, “let me clean up, I feel like I smell of forest.” Hook persisted,  


“You know I don’t mind that luv.” He winked “I like my swan with a little dirt about her feathers.” He leaned in to kiss her again “I am a pirate after all.” Emma kissed him fully for the first time since they had been reunited. He was salty and firm and his mouth moved around hers as though he didn’t notice she had stopped kissing him back. His breath grew more labored and she could feel his desire mounting. Before he could take it too far she gently pushed him back again.  


“Really, I want to shower.” She said, looking past him up the stairs.  


“We can shower together.” He said, turning to pull her up the stairs. In the bedroom she started to undress herself, letting her annoyance at Hook come out in the ripping off of her own clothes. He took this however as enthusiasm for the event he was sure was coming. He removed his hook and began pulling off his own clothes, clumsily swaying as he kicked off his boots. He grinned at her; one eyebrow raised and gestured with his hookless hand to the bathroom. 

Emma stalked in and started the shower, turning to Hook she said firmly, 

“I’ll just rinse off by myself I think.” He looked hurt briefly and then nodded and left her alone in the bathroom, closing the door slightly harder than was necessary behind him. Emma sighed. She just wanted to feel clean again. She was tired and didn’t have it in her to fight Killian off tonight. She felt momentary guilt about her reaction. Usually she couldn’t keep her hands off her pirate love, but she just wasn’t feeling it tonight. And that’s okay! She thought to herself as she stepped into the steaming water.

Once she was in the shower she completely forgot her annoyance. She let the water pound on her skull, the pressure was hard and she loved it. She stood there for a moment, mind blank, only processing the sensations that she felt: the heat, the pressure, and the relief. She sighed again, this time in contentedness and leaned back against the wall of the shower watching the last of the forest dirt circle the drain. When the water ran clear she started to soap and shampoo, relishing the bright citrus smell of her body wash. Emma’s mind drifted, she thought of the forest, of her time in the wish realm and the events that had transpired there. She thought of Regina showing up, so soon, almost immediately. She thought of the relief that had crashed down on her when she realized who she was and where she was, who was there with her. She thought of the anger she had felt when the Robin Hood had shown up, how she barely been able to look at Regina after he left. Sorry for her, happy that he was gone. Worried they would be stuck there forever.

Regina had been so vulnerable there, after Robin left. Emma had only ever seen her this way in the wake of Robin’s absence. There was the first time, the second time, and now. Emma stilled in the shower, thinking long about her friend, about the suffering she had experienced in the loss of her soul mate. She ached for her then, ached to comfort her. She wanted to reach out and touch her face as Regina had done to her back in the forest. Emma wanted to reassure Regina that she would be there to help her, no matter what. Emma would be the one to pick up the pieces that Robin left behind. She would help Regina see that she didn’t need him to find her happy ending. 

After she was fully satisfied with her shower she toweled off, slipped an oversized t-shirt on and headed back into the bedroom she shared with Killian. She had been expecting him to stay awake, to try and resume his seduction, but as she enter the room his light snores greeted her. Relieved to slip into bed and drift off to sleep Emma smiled and curled herself around the form of the sleeping Hook. 

***  
In the morning Emma woke with a start. She heard a terrible banging from the kitchen downstairs and flew down to investigate. Hook was there, banging pans and cursing under his breath.  
“What’s all this?” Emma asked with amusement.  
“Ah, my lady.” Hook smiled at her. “I thought I might make you my famous breakfast. Get your energy up for a long day spent just the two of us, in bed.” He raised his eyebrow at her, sure of his devilish charms. Emma smiled back at him and approached the mess he was working in. She saw eggshells, an empty packet of bacon and a few orange peels.  


“This looks great, Kil.” She kissed him and he smiled at her sweetly.  


“I was going to bring it to you in bed, so why don’t you run back so I can make my grand entrance.”  


“Okay.” She giggled and bounded up the stairs.

When he came up, a tray of breakfast balanced on his good hand, he smiled happily at Emma who lounged on their bed scrolling through her phone as she waited.  


“Here you are my lady.” He presented her with the tray and she happily inspected his work. She took a bite of the eggs and grimaced, though she turned it into a pained smile and nodded enthusiastically at his expectant look.  


“Delicious.” She coughed. The eggs were incredibly salty. She moved on to the orange slices. It wasn’t too bad when she alternated bites of egg with orange, the sweet citrus cutting the salty flavor of the eggs. Hook swaggered to the other side of the bed and began kissing Emma’s neck as she ate. Taking his interest as an excuse not to fake her enjoyment of the food he prepared, she turned to him and let his lips roam across her neck and shoulders.

Eagerly Hook pulled Emma to him and set to work pulling and kneading at her breasts with his good hand. Emma felt the prickle of arousal, but just as it had the night before, it died somewhere in her abdomen before it could fully bloom. She let her boyfriend finish on top of her, his grunts filling the small bedroom. When he was done he smiled at her sleepily.  
“Oh, I missed you Swan.” He patted her chest and drifted off into a doze. Emma rolled her eyes, she loved Killian but he could be so oblivious sometimes. She smiled to herself and stretched. After cleaning up in the bathroom she crossed the room to her closet and pulled out her clothes for the day. Killian was stirring and she sat down beside him and whispered that she was getting ready to head out. He snapped up, his eyes piercing.  


“What do you mean you’re heading out? I thought we would spend the day together.” It was less of a question than a demand. It irked Emma and she pulled away from him slightly.  


“I promised Regina I would help her sort out a problem.” She said defensively.  


“You just spent two days with her trapped in a different realm! Why do you need to rush over there and help her with anything? What could she possibly need from you?” Emma shrugged,  


“I don’t think she would like me sharing that with you. It’s personal to her and until I have her blessing, I would really rather not talk about it. It’s sensitive, Killian.” She softened her tone, hoping that it would soften his as well. It had no use however. Hook stood and began pulling on his pants.  


“This is unbelievable Swan. When it comes down to it you would rather run off and see the Mayor than spend a measly morning with your true love. What kind of rubbish is that?!” There was hurt in his voice, but mostly anger. 

He paced for a moment, and then sneered, “Well, fine. I’ll just head out on the Jolly Roger. Don’t expect me back tonight.”  


“Killian, wait.” Emma pleaded, but he had already stormed from the room. His footsteps echoed down the stairs and then the door slammed behind him.  
“Fuck.” Emma muttered and kicked at the baseboard, but she didn’t chase after him, and she didn’t try to call.  


***  
Later in Regina’s kitchen Emma thought about the events of the morning. She sighed. Killian could be too sensitive. Why did it matter that she come to Regina? She was needed here; she wanted to be the one who was here. She wanted to be the first one to see the light in Regina’s smile when they figured out how to unite her two selves. After everything she had been through with Regina, she owed it to her. Why couldn’t Killian understand that?

“This is an early lunch, Miss Swan.” Regina greeted Emma with an inquisitive smile. “I really am starting to believe that you just can’t get enough of me.” The words left her mouth before she realized it, and Regina turned away to hide the heat rising in her face. She missed Emma’s reaction that mirrored her own. Regina cleared her throat. “Anyway. Shall I make us some tea?” Regina already was moving to set the kettle on. Emma nodded and Regina sat down at the island across from her companion. “This looks good.” She said as she took up her fork, smiling at Emma. Regardless of what she had momentarily felt in the bath today, Regina was grateful that her friend was there now.  


“Of course it is.” Emma said through a full mouth and Regina grimaced at her, making Emma laugh. The two enjoyed their lunch in companionable silence until the kettle whistle interrupted them.


	3. Chapter 3

Regina threw down her dishtowel “I am this close to losing it Snow.” She sighed. “There has to be a way. We need Gold.”  


“Regina,” Snow said gently, “Believe me, I am just as invested in finding a way to reunite you and…you.” Regina sniffed delicately, 

“But Rumple and Belle are gone. We have no way of knowing when they will be back, so lets just try” Snow reached over the counter and squeezed Regina’s hand “to keep it together for a little while longer, okay?” Regina pulled her hand away and sighed again.  


“I know. I’m just…tired of this. I want this all to be put to bed. I can’t keep.” Regina looked down, studying the tile “It’s just that everything she does, that she continues to do puts us all in danger. It is up to me to-“ 

“Regina.” Snow cut her off firmly “We have been over this a million times. No one blames you for what she has done. We understand. We are right here with you. You are not alone in this. You’re whole family is right there with you. And” Snow raised her voice over the interjection Regina was about to make “And we will figure this out together.” Regina slumped against the counter and reached for her cold cup of coffee. She wrinkled her nose in disgust at the temperature but drank it nonetheless. 

“You’re right Snow, thank you. I am just so discouraged. It has been three weeks since Emma and I returned and we seem to be no closer in finding out a way to restore my other half to me than we were the day I made the choice to do so.”  


“At least you are trying Regina, and some progress has been made. We now know that none of the books that you have, or that have been found in Rumple’s shop contain any information on how to reunite you two. So a process of elimination!”

“Yes,” Regina rolled her eyes “But at this rate how long will it take to find the answer?” Regina’s frustration shone in her eyes as tears pricked their corners.  
“I am so sorry Snow.” She looked down again, “I am so sorry that you and David are apart. I am so sorry that we have to go through this.” Snow sniffled at the mention of her husband. “But I am grateful too.” Regina looked up at Snow and smiled sadly.  
“Thank you for being here with me now.” Snow smiled at Regina through her tears.  


“Regina, of course.” She said simply, “Like I said before, we are family.” As if on cue the front door was flung open and the chatter of the entering group filled the mansion. “In the kitchen!” Snow called out cheerfully (and unnecessarily) as Emma, Henry, and Hook joined the pair. Henry was carrying the baby and Regina rolled her eyes at the soppy look that Snow gave her grandson. 

“Hey gang,” Emma smiled to the kitchen, “We brought pizza.” She held up two pizza boxes. Henry passed his baby uncle to Snow and eagerly tore into the top box.  


“Mom,” he said through a bite of cheese, “Violet’s going to come over in a little bit.” Then he added after Regina raised an eyebrow at him “Ma said it was okay!”  


“Well,” said Regina as she handed her son a napkin “I am glad that Miss Swan has taken it to inviting people into my home for me.”  


“You like Violet.” Emma said as she pulled down plates from the cupboard, effortlessly moving through Regina’s kitchen.  


“Emma seems to be spending just as much time here as she does at our home anyway.” Hook smiled sarcastically at Regina, “might as well be her second home.”  


Emma looked uncomfortable and Hook vaguely angry. Henry looked around at the group of adults and tried to make a joke to relieve the obvious tension. Regina smiled at her son he was just so sweet.  


“That was a funny joke, darling.” She said as she sat down at the island and selected a piece of cheese pizza for herself.  


“If it was funny, you laugh Mom, you don’t say ‘its funny’” Henry grumbled. Emma was leaning against the counter opposite the island eating her peperoni slice with a blank stare. 

“So,” Snow tried to cut the tension herself, “How was everyone’s day?”  


“Great!” came Henry’s response at once, “Ma and Killian took me out on the Jolly Roger, and I got to steer!”  
“ 

Teaching my son how to be a good ole’ pirate?” Regina asked sardonically to Hook and regretted her barb immediately. Hook glared at her and didn’t bother to respond to her. The tension in the kitchen resumed. Silent moments ticked by until the doorbell rang.  


“I’ll get it!” Henry leapt up and raced to the door. Regina could hear his greeting and a small female voice. Moments later the two teens entered the kitchen Henry was blushing slightly.  


“Hello, thank you for inviting me over Ms. Mills” Violet was a sweet girl, polite too.  


“You are always welcome here Violet.” Regina smiled at her, “would you like some pizza? We have cheese and-”  


“Half pepperoni, half spinach!” Emma interjected.  


“Oh, no thank you, I already ate.”  


“Moms, I was going to show Violet my new comic book, in my room?” Henry angled.  


“Go for it, Kid.” Emma replied without looking at Regina, who frowned slightly. She had never before let Violet and Henry to be alone in his room here. Was Emma allowing this when Henry stayed at her house? The teens made to leave and Regina called out “Door stays open, Henry!” Henry blushed furiously but nodded and the two slipped out of the kitchen. 

“Emma!” Regina hissed.  


“Wha-?” Emma was startled, mouth full of pizza  


“Do you really condone our teenage son and his girlfriend being alone together in his room, which is floors away, and contains a bed?” Emma laughed.  


“Relax Regina, the Kid’s only fourteen. Besides, they’re looking at _comic books_ that is hardly a turn on.” Regina grimaced.  


“I can assure you, as the one who does the majority of our son’s laundry, that him being fourteen is exactly my point.” Regina raised her eyebrow and Emma frowned.  


“Alright, fine. I will make up some excuse to walk past his room in a few minutes.” Regina laughed.  


“Very subtle.” she smirked

“Don’t you think we should get going, luv?” Hook asked.  


“What? But we just got here.” Emma pouted. Hook looked annoyed. Snow cleared her throat.  


“Is it really so late? I should get back to the loft and wake up David…He will want to see everyone before bed.” She made to leave, gathering the baby’s belongings.  


“Mom, why don’t you leave Neal? Dad can come get him here.” Emma said, looking pointedly at Hook.  


“You don’t mind, Regina?” Snow asked, looking at the Mayor.  


“Of course not.” Regina smiled at the baby and held out her arms for the cooing boy. “He is my favorite charming after all.”  


“Hey!” Emma whined, “I thought _I_ was your favorite Charming.” Hook glowered ever more. Regina just rolled her eyes.  


“Emma, luv. Might I have a word with you?” Killian looked to Emma with sad eyes.  


“Of course.” Emma took his hand and pulled him into the dining room, the door batting shut behind them. 

Regina turned to Snow who sighed and stood up.  


“Well, my little Blue-Jay I will see you again when your daddy wakes me. I love you, I do, I do.” Snow scooped up her son and held him to her, singing to him and cuddling. Regina turned away to spare a moment of privacy to the woman, and a moment to recover her stomach of the pizza she had just consumed for herself. She heard the front door open and close.

A moment later Emma breezed through the kitchen door and plopped down in Snow’s vacated placed.  


“Just checked on Henry and Violet, totally innocent.” She said as she reached her hand into the box to pull out another cheesy slice.  


“Honey, was that Killian I heard leaving?” Snow asked, bouncing Neal on her hip.  


“Yeah, he’s tired from taking Henry sailing, he’s going to clean up on the Jolly Roger and head home.” Shrugged Emma.  


“Oh, ok.” Snow hugged and kissed Neal one last time before she transferred him to Emma and gathered her coat to leave. “Bye Sweetie,” she said to Emma and waved to Regina.  


“Bye Mom, love you.”  


“Goodbye Snow.” Regina returned the wave and smile, Snow disappeared through the archway and a moment later Regina heard the front door open and close again. 

Emma bounced the baby on one knee as she ate her pizza. Regina looked curiously at Emma. “Is everything alright Miss Swan? The Captain left rather abruptly.”  


“Yeah, Hook has just been a little bit clingy since we got back. Says that he’s had enough forced separation. That’s why he’s been hanging around with us, not that he doesn’t want to help.” Emma quickly added looking up at Regina for the first time. Regina chuckled.  


“I had thought recently that I was seeing more of the Pirate than I was accustomed too.”  


“C’mon, he hasn’t been too bad.”  


“No, that’s true. He hardly says a word to me while he’s here.” Regina grinned toothily. Emma rolled her eyes.  


“He’s really a good guy when he wants to be.” Emma sighed, “I kinda get it though, it seems like we’ve never had a moment of peace to be a couple.” She bounced Neal a little faster until he started to fuss and she slowed and rocked him. “Being with _the Savior_ isn’t easy.”  


“Emma, this is Storybrooke, since the day you turned up here, there hasn’t been a moment of peace.” Emma frowned, not sure where Regina was going with this.

She continued, “Come to think of it, the only time that there was any peace in the land of Stroybrooke was when I had it cursed to live the same day over and over again. Since then there has been danger, and heartbreak” Regina looked away, “but there has but there has also been a tremendous amount of excitement.” Regina stepped toward Emma who was looking intently at the agitated baby in her lap “And love.” 

Regina said and Emma turned to look at her, stunned a moment. Regina was looking down at Emma, the setting sun washing over her, bringing out the amber in her eyes. Emma felt a quiver in her throat; Regina was magnificent. She reached down toward her and suddenly Emma thought ‘she is going to kiss me’. She didn’t move, she didn’t breathe. 

Regina lifted the baby out of Emma’s arm and proceeded to hug and kiss the boy, making silly, squeaking noises. The baby giggled and kicked his feet and Regina beamed at him.  


“Really Emma, do you think any of us would trade a thing? No. You turned Storybrooke into a home, and you made us a family. If the Captain doesn’t appreciate that, then he is a bigger fool than even I thought him to be.” 

Emma flushed; did she really just think that Regina would try to kiss her? _‘Woah. Did I just _want_ her to kiss me?’_ Emma felt momentarily dizzy at the prospect. ‘A trick of the light, Swan’ she said to herself, realizing after that she had said it in an imitation of Hook’s voice. 

“Emma? Did I lose you with my hope speech? I’m afraid I’m no Snow White.” Regina said, with a little bit more of an edge to her voice.  


“No!” Emma jumped up standing eye to eye with the brunette. “I’m just, a little overwhelmed.” ‘Well, it isn’t a lie’ she thought, “But in a good way.” She smiled at Regina who smiled back, a little bit more genuinely now. “So,” Emma said, fishing around to change the subject, “Did you ask Zelena?” Regina frowned and sighed.  


“No, Emma. I have not talked to my sister yet.”  


“Regina, she could be able to help us. In so many ways! If you just made up with her…” Regina looked at Emma with a gaze of steel “You know that all she really wants is to be close to you. It's really not her fault that she has the emotional range of a teaspoon.”  


“Yes, well. That part at least is true.” Regina relented at Emma’s look. “I will talk to her tomorrow. I will try. To make amends.” She rolled her eyes at Emma’s triumphant look.  


“I just really think that she can help us!”  


“Yes, I’ll be sure to mention that to her.” Said Regina sarcastically.  
Emma laughed and sat back down in her seat.  


“Here, take him and change him.” Regina handed the baby to Emma who wrinkled her nose.  


“No, thank you.” She stood up and started out of the kitchen yelling in front of her “Henry! Violet! I have something for you to do!” Regina began to straighten up the kitchen, laughing to herself as she heard the protest come from upstairs. Regina snickered and went back to picking at her pizza

“Hello?” came a voice from the entryway; Regina heard a pounding down the stairs and a soft landing at the bottom.  


“Hey Dad!” Emma said, cheerfully. “Henry and Violet are changing Neal’s diaper upstairs.” David chuckled  


“Birth control lessons? I’ll go supervise.” And Regina heard his footsteps disappearing up the stairs as Emma strode back into the kitchen looking light and happy. Regina was a treated to a wink from the blonde and at it she felt a little ball of energy bounce in her stomach.  


“Having a teenager is fun.” Emma smiled as she started tidying along-side Regina.  


“For now.” Regina replied, “And we got lucky. Henry is-“  
“A great kid and going to be a great guy, for sure.” Emma cut in.  


“Yes, undoubtedly.” Regina rinsed her hands and leaned back against the counter.  


She looked like she was deep in contemplation for a moment, Emma sure that she was about to say something intense readied herself for an emotional moment, but Regina surprised her.

“Would you like to watch a movie?”  


Emma laughed, “What about working on the problem?”  


“Well, we have been diligent for weeks now, surely we deserve a little break? I haven’t watched a movie since before hell.”  


“Yeah, I’m game!” Emma beamed at Regina “That sounds really nice, actually.”  


“Good.” Regina said matter-of-factly “Lets pick something out.” She grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses on her way out of the kitchen, raising an eyebrow at Emma in question, who nodded sturdily as she followed.  


“Comedy or drama?” Asked Emma, “Or action, or horror? Or romance?”  


“Romance? I wouldn’t have taken you for a romance fan.” Regina turned toward Emma as she sat on the sofa.  


“I’m not really. Just wanted to cover my bases. Although, truth be told I _did_ cry during The Notebook.”  


Regina nodded grimly, “It’s only natural.” making Emma laugh.

“Hey Regina” David said as he entered the living room with Neal,  


“Hi David. Emma and I were just about to pick out a movie to watch, would you like to join us?”  


“That sounds fun.” He said shifting the baby to his hip “but I think I’m going to head back to the loft. Snow left a to-do list.” He smiled sweetly, “and I have some other things I need to take care of, but I’m here until tomorrow mid-afternoon.”  


“Okay, Dad.” Said Emma moving toward him to give him a half hug and a kiss to the baby.  


“Good night Emma, ‘night Regina.”  


“Night David, get home safe with that baby.” David smiled and left the room.

“Right,” said Regina, “now what type of movie do you like? I like drama and comedy, but I prefer British humor.”  


“Well, I like both drama and comedy. I too like British humor. Lets scroll around Netflix and see what we get.”  


“Sure.” Regina settled herself on the couch after pouring wine for herself and Emma. She handed Emma the remote who began flipping through titles. 

They settled eventually (with minimal bickering) on LOST episode one. Neither of the women had seen it before, and it seemed to have it all. 

Violet and Henry had come down during the first episode to watch a little with them. Soon though Violet’s father came to pick her up and Henry retreated back to his room.

After two episodes Regina was yawning, and Emma was hooked.  


“Regina, just one more episode, then we can call it a night, I promise.”  


“Okay, okay.” Regina pretended to grumble, but happily poured the last of the bottle between the two classes and pulled her feet up underneath her. “Okay, start it.” She sighed and leaned back watching intently as Kate’s backstory was revealed.

“There’s something very appealing about her, don’t you think?” Regina asked, eyes on the screen and face flushed from the wine.  


“What do you mean? I think she’s kind of whiney to be honest.”  


“Oh, well I guess a little. But she’s very sexy. Her arms…” Regina trailed off. Emma looked at her incredulously but Regina paid her no mind, too absorbed in the show. Emma turned her attention back to the show, watching Kate more closely now. Emma flexed her bicep through her black long-sleeve cotton. ‘I have more to work with than she does.’ 

“That was very enjoyable.” Regina stood and arched her back, stretching her arms above her head. In the process her sweater rode up exposing her smooth flat stomach. Emma’s eyes roamed over her lithe body, appreciating the planes and valleys, the way she bent and moved. 

Regina was fit, Emma had always known, always respected her appearance, the way her clothes fit, how her calves looked in the heels she wore. Something about Regina’s comment about Kate from LOST allowed Emma to look at Regina differently, to see her not as her friend, Henry’s mother, the Queen, or the Mayor. 

Emma looked at Regina now as a woman who felt arousal, who appreciated other women, who could touch and respond. Emma cleared her throat and averted her eyes, embarrassed by her behavior, embarrassed by the flicker of excitement that she felt at the glimpse she'd had at Regina's body.

“I should probably get going.” Emma stood up and made to clear the wine glasses but Regina stopped her.  


“Don’t worry about it Emma” she smiled at her, reaching out for the glass in her hand, as she did their fingers brushed and Emma was taken aback by the zing that their friction caused.  


“Okay.” Emma’s voice came out as a husk; awkwardly she pulled her hand away and fidgeted. “Okay,” she said again “Then I’ll just… head out.” She gestured to the door.  


“You can show yourself out I assume?” Regina grinned at her toothily.  


“Yeah, no problem. Of course.” 

“Emma.” Regina laughed “Thank you for tonight. This was really fun.”  


Emma smiled, feeling a little light headed. “Yeah, it really was.” She started to go and turned back, “But now you know we’re going to have to make this a regular thing…because I’m definitely going to need to know what happens next.”  


“I completely agree.” Regina smiled back warmly. “Will I see you tomorrow?”  


Emma stopped and shrugged, “Yeah, maybe? We didn’t do much work on today, maybe in the afternoon? I’ll have to check in with Killian.” Emma sighed.  


“Of course. Don’t worry. I’ll be in my vault in the afternoon, if you want to stop by, if not, that’s fine.” Regina had moved toward Emma as she spoke, wine glasses hanging from her fingers.  


“Okay.” Emma nodded again, “that sounds good. I’ll see you.” Emma gave a little smile and met Regina’s warm eyes. Again she felt something zing between them.  


“Bye.” Regina said softly, and Emma turned to go.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back!

That night Emma crept into her bedroom where Hook snuffled softly in his sleep. She undressed in the dark and slid under the blankets beside him. Purposely closing her eyes and leveling out her breathing to match his, in an attempt to coax sleep a little sooner. 

Ages later (or so it seemed) Emma sighed and slipped out from under the covers. She couldn’t sleep, her brain active and her heart pounding. Certain that she didn’t want to wake Hook she tiptoed down the stairs in search of some coca, or something.

She rummaged through the kitchen as the kettle started its low whistle until she found a box of the chocolate powder. Emma sat at the counter with her mug of not-quite-hot-enough cocoa and stared out the dark window. She felt a strange elation, like she had just achieved something grand. Well, she _hadn’t_ achieved anything. Since she had returned from the dream place she had barely done a thing, except push Killian away. 

 

She sipped her cocoa defiantly. How was she supposed to help Regina with Hook hanging off her all the time? It would be one thing if he offered any assistance, but he didn’t seem to care at all about what they were doing. More and more she felt like he came just to needle at Regina. She could see aggressiveness in his sharp sarcastic replies both to and about her. 

Emma had tried not going to Regina as often and not speaking about her unless it was necessary around him. She knew that for whatever reason he was weird and sensitive about her. Emma had thought that this might be because Regina was Henry’s other parent and perhaps Hook didn’t like to share the boy that was essentially a stepson to him. Depending on the day Emma was either slightly endeared or annoyed by these prospects. 

Emma was never endeared by the way he acted to Regina. This was the main source of her frustration with Hook. This was the part of him that she didn’t find to be so dashing. It provoked a feeling deep in Emma, something stiff and defensive. Every time she saw Hook glare at Regina, every time his voice snarled in her direction she wanted to put herself between the two. 

The more Emma thought about it, the more she felt disturbed by this. Hook was acting jealous and it was not just getting in the way of the time she spent with Regina, but it was getting in the way that she spent time with Henry. Emma loved the time that she got with Hook and Henry, the three of them made a great team. She loved that Henry was getting time with Hook too and she adored seeing the way that Killian taught him about sailing and fishing. But when the three of them were together she couldn’t help but feel slightly bothered at the hero-worship in Henry’s eye. She wasn’t jealous per se, even though that was the way that Henry used to look at her. It had more to do with a slight, and slightly disturbing niggling at the back of her mind. The feeling that Killian didn’t deserve to get that look. That was the look that should have been reserved for his parents. For Emma. For Regina. 

Slouching down in her chair, the elation that Emma had been feeling extinguished in her gut and left behind a slow and sinking feeling. She didn’t _want_ Killian to be Henry’s parent. She didn’t want Henry to feel that Hook would never leave. Emma wanted to pinch herself. Why on earth was she entertaining these thoughts? Hook was her true love. _Killian_ was her true love. She looked over at the clock above the stove. In the dark the blue numbers seemed to scream at her to go to bed. She downed the last of her cold coca and headed back up the stairs to her bedroom. 

***

Regina paced her bedroom. The sun was still cresting over the horizon, but she couldn’t sleep. She wrung her hands for the fiftieth time and finally slumped into the armchair by her window. She had decided last night after Emma had left that she was going to speak with her sister the next day and she was terribly nervous about it. 

Regina reached for her phone and flicked her finger across the screen, hovering over Emma’s name. She was curbing the very strong desire to call Emma. She felt slightly ashamed for the impulse, why on earth should calling Emma make her feel better? But that little prickle in the back of her mind kept her looking between the contact in her phone and the time, desperately checking and rechecking to see when it would be appropriate it make the call. 

Finally, at 7:35 Regina got up to make breakfast. Henry would be asleep for another three hours at least. It was Saturday and since he blossomed into a full-fledged teen Regina was happy to avoid the grumpy young man that would greet her if she tried to wake him up. She was happy to let him come down on his own time. She was happy to sit alone staring at the clock while her coffee grew cold. She was just too nervous to add caffeine to the mix. 

At 8:07 her phone buzzed. Startled out of her trance she looked down to see Emma’s name illuminating her screen. Surprised but happy, Regina answered the call.

“Hey!” Came the blonde’s cheery voice “I couldn’t sleep, I’ve been up all night…and I was wondering if you wanted to...take a walk or something?” Emma trailed off sounding a little unsure.

Regina beamed “Emma, I would love to. I’m in a similar position myself, I welcome the distraction.”

“Really?” Emma asked, slightly shocked by Regina’s ready and honest response.

“Really.” Regina affirmed, “Should I meet you somewhere, Granny’s maybe? We could take some coffee to go?” Now Regina was the one that sounded unsure. Suddenly she felt like she should be playing coy, she had the desire to push Emma back to see if she would persist. Regina inwardly chided herself; there was no reason to play coy with Emma, of all people. What a silly thought. Again Regina’s nerves flared around her, making her jittery, her belly grow hot, and her face flush. She cleared her throat and took a breath to regain some control.

“Yeah, that sounds perfect.” Emma was saying, “I’m actually already out walking around… so I could be there in like… three minutes. Are you ready to go now, or do you need a little bit?” 

“I can meet you there in fifteen minutes. I just need a moment to collect my things.” Said Regina. 

“Okay, cool! See you then.” Emma said, and the call clicked off.

Regina closed her eyes and rubbed her brow. The lack of sleep must be getting to her. _’there is no reason to get so worked up over a morning coffee with the Savior. It’s not like this is a date.’_ at the thought more heat rippled through Regina’s abdomen. Horrified by her reaction she grabbed a glass from the drying rack and drank down two cold cups of water, her hands shaking. 

After drinking the water and taking a few more calming breathes Regina straightened up and headed up the stairs to change into outdoor clothes. In her bathroom, after dressing Regina looked at herself in the mirror. She smoothed her hair and tucked it behind her ear. She reached into one of her drawers and pulled out a lipstick and gently applied it. She looked at herself again, picking a stray piece of lint from her blouse. She had changed into navy blue and white top and black tight-legged pants. It was sensible and she looked nice.

“Why on earth I am even bothering I don’t know.” She muttered to herself. With one last glance in the mirror she made her way downstairs where she scrawled a quick note to Henry in case he should wake. Again, she thought, _’I don’t know why I am even bothering.’_ Then she left to go meet the Savior.

***   
Emma sat outside Granny’s impatient for Regina to show. She jiggled her knee and sighed, should she be waiting inside? She stood and started to go into the diner before she stopped, shouldn’t she go in _with_ Regina? She sat back down again, and then stood up and went in. _‘be cool Emma! It’s just Regina, it’s just coffee! It’s not like it’s a date. Be normal.’_

“Sheriff,” Granny greeted Emma as she came in “What can I get you this morning?” 

“Hey Granny, I’m just waiting for someone.” Emma mumbled as she sat down at the counter.

“You tell that pirate of yours that I am not going to sell him rum before noon.” Granny said, pointing a wooden spoon in Emma’s direction before she disappeared behind the counter and back into the kitchen. Emma smiled tightly and jiggled her leg again. Killian could be so embarrassing sometimes. He liked to think it charming, but honestly, Emma found his flask repellant. She had even brought it up to him on occasion and he continuously brushed it off to the point Emma wondered what type of a dependency he had on it. He seldom was sloppy, but there was almost always a little taste of the stuff on his lips. 

Just then the door chimed and Emma snapped her head up as Regina entered. All thoughts of Hook left Emma’s mind as she saw her, the morning sun lighting her from behind. Regina glanced around for a moment and her eyes fell on the sheriff. Emma felt her mouth grow dry as Regina smiled at her, her face transforming from one of anxiousness to excite. 

“Sorry if I’m a bit late?” Regina questioned as she sat down at the counter next to the blonde, who was still staring with her lips slightly parted. Emma cleared her throat. 

“No, no worries. I just got here.” Emma lied. Regina raised an eyebrow at her and smirked. 

“Okay…” she trailed off, looking closely at Emma “Are you alright? You seem a bit…” Regina cleared her own throat and looked down, suddenly self-conscious. “Should we order, or did you already?” she finished instead.

“No, I was waiting for you.” Said Emma, trying to keep the Mayor’s eye contact. Emma’s mind was unexpectedly brought to the moment the day before when she had briefly thought that Regina might kiss her, she had that look on her face now. 

“Good morning Eugenia, two coffees to go please for the Sheriff and I.” Regina’s smile now turning to Granny who had reappeared from the kitchen. 

“Morning Regina,” Granny nodded and busied herself with the coffees. 

“So you’re not sleeping well either?” Emma asked as the two women left the diner. 

“No, I admit I was up most of the night thinking...” Regina sighed and gently blew into her cup. 

“Oh? What about?” Emma asked

“Mostly about my sister.” Regina said, as they started in sync down the street and toward the park. “I decided that today has to be the day I speak to her if we are going to get anywhere with _the Queen_ ”

“That’s great Regina!” Emma smiled, “I’m sure she will be fine, she’s a little dramatic, but I’m pretty sure you’re the only person in the world, besides Robyn, that she actually likes.” 

“That might have been true at one point,” Regina sighed, her eyes sad, “but I treated her terribly. I should never have kicked her out, or blamed her for losing Robin’s feather. It was silly of me. It was wrong of me to push her away, honestly…” Regina trailed off, Emma waited patiently for her to finish her thought, but she didn’t. The two women walked in silence for a few more moments before Emma broke the quiet. 

“It will be good to talk to her, for both of you. Not just because of…ya know, the Queen. She’s you’re sister Regina, besides Henry and you know like… _us_ …she’s the only family you have.” Emma stammered awkwardly. 

“I know that.” Regina said defensively and Emma kicked herself for pushing too hard. Regina sighed and looked at Emma apologetically, “I know that.” She said again, softer this time. “That’s why I feel so badly.”

“Sisters fight!” Emma said jovially in an attempt to lighten the mood, “I mean, I don’t know about that, but that’s what I hear! Look and Anna and Elsa… They barely spoke for years and now they’re like… inseparable and saving kingdoms together… Is it a queendom though if Elsa is ruling?”

At this Regina smiled, “You do have a point Ms. Swan. Although I don’t think Zelena and I will ever be quite as close as those two, I’m not sure I would _want_ to be.” Regina rolled her eyes and Emma laughed. 

After that the two walked on with more lightness in their steps. _’the coffee must be kicking in._ Regina thought, as her eyes took her in the first of the early spring blooms. Although it was still cold, some of the crocuses had found their way up and littered the park with purple and white flowers. Regina felt her chest growing lighter with each step she took, the nervousness that had plagued her all night fizzling into warmth. 

Beside her Emma strode with purpose, her gate slightly ahead of Regina’s but naturally in sync. She enjoyed the sun on her face, warming her in the cool daylight. She was pleased with herself for calling Regina this morning and suggesting a walk, it had been a spur of the moment decision as she prowled around the town in the pre-dawn. Emma hadn’t even expected Regina to answer the phone, but now she was happier than ever that she had. It seemed like this time was the tonic that she needed to calm her down from the fretful night she had had.

The two walked amiably on for some time, discussing Henry, the town, Lost, and other mundane and amusing things. It was easy and Emma didn’t even notice the time until her phone buzzed. She sighed.

“It’s Hook, hold on.” She said apologetically and Regina nodded curtly. Emma ducked away and moved slightly off the path they had been following and accepted the call.

“Hey Kil, what’s up?” Emma did her best to sound chipper, but there was a touch of nervousness in the back of her throat. She knew that she would either have to deny being with Regina, _to lie to him_ , make up some Henry or work related reason, that sounded _not_ like a lie. She moved further off the path down to the water so that Regina wouldn’t hear the conversation, if she did have to lie, she definitely didn’t want Regina to hear. 

“Emma, luv where have you been?” Hook asked. Emma let out a slight sigh of relief, he sounded like he was in a good mood, this might be easier than she thought. 

“I couldn’t sleep, so I came to the park to take a walk.” Said Emma, deciding that omission was the best tactic today. “Guess I lost track of the time. What are you up to?” 

“I’m just at the house, it’s a beautiful day, I thought we might take the ship out.” Emma rolled her eyes; Hook was always trying to take her out on the ship. Sure, it was fun, but every day? 

“Oh…I’d love to, but I have some police work to do this afternoon, I thought I might go to the office and uh…catch up on paperwork. Regina’s really on my ass about it…” 

“Oh.” Hook’s voice immediately sounded cooler, Emma kicked herself for bringing Regina into this unnecessarily “Well.” He continued, “I guess if her majesty needs your attention she should have it.” 

“Come on Killian, you know that’s not fair. She’s the Mayor and I’m the Sheriff, we have obligations to the town.”

“You’re also my partner Swan, or did you forget?” Hook snapped, Emma fumed at this.

“Of course I didn’t forget, Killian. We are constantly together. We live together. Half of the time we work together. But you know what? I have things that I need to do for myself, for the town, and yes, for Regina and I need a little space right now to do them.” 

“Fine.” Killian said, “Enjoy your day of _paperwork_. Tell the Queen I say hello, if you can even be bothered. I’ll be on my ship.” With that he clicked the line dead. 

“Errgghhh.” Emma huffed. He was so exasperating sometimes. She kicked at the gravel path and took a breath before returning to Regina who was waiting at one of the benches just a few yards away. 

“Everything alright?” She asked tentatively, Regina and Emma rarely talked about Emma’s relationship. The topic was dodged almost at all costs, for the sake of both parties. 

“Yeah, it’s fine. He was just calling to let me know that he would be out on the boat today...” Emma said as she sat down next to her, her bad mood fading away as quickly as it had come. She would deal with Hook later, for now she just wanted to finish enjoying the morning she was sharing with Regina. Regina still held her coffee cup, though it had long ago been drained and she was methodically pressing the corners of the lid together as she spun it slowly in her hands. 

Emma had sat down close to Regina, their legs slightly touching. Regina felt heat spreading up her thighs from where the Savior was pressed against her and despite the cold spring morning, the Mayor was flushed and warm. She didn’t move away, instead she let her legs relax just a bit so that the pressure between the two was increased slightly, with more contact at the knee. Regina stayed very still and Emma didn’t pull away. 

“So.” Emma said, a slight catch to her voice, “when are we going to get another episode of Lost in?” 

Regina grinned at her. “What about tonight? I think Henry mentioned spending some time with Violet this evening.” Emma rolled her eyes, 

“When is that kind _not_ spending some time with Violet these days?” Emma laughed,

Regina furrowed her brow, “You don’t think…we should talk to him about…the birds and the bees do you?” she asked, feeling slightly sick.

Emma laughed, “Probably. Have you ever talked about it with him?”

Regina grimaced, “Yes, just the basics of… you know… anatomy and…” she trailed off and Emma laughed again, clearly amused at Regina’s discomfort. “Honestly, it was terribly uncomfortable for both of us and I ended up shoving some reading material under his door later that night.” Regina blushed at the memory; it had been shortly after Emma and Henry had returned from New York, and she was terrified that the awkward interaction would send Henry straight back into full-custody-with-Emma mode. But the two had just pretended nothing had happened the next morning. 

“Yeah, well, now that he’s dating we should absolutely refresh the basics and maybe add in some new information.” Emma’s voice was still merry. 

“Well then, I think it’s your turn.” Regina said, not without humor. 

The two were now sitting so close that they were touching from shoulder to knee. Comfortably looking forward toward the pond as small waves crashed over the gravel and ducks bobbed for their breakfasts. 

“So tonight?” Emma asked, breaking the silence. Regina smiled.   
“Yes,” she said “I’ll make us dinner…if you want?” she turned toward Emma, nervousness taking flight in her again, zinging through the parts of her body that were pressed against the Savior. Emma turned toward Regina, their faces no more than six inches apart. Emma could feel the puffs of breath that Regina exhaled, could smell the musky sweet scent of her hair. 

“Yes,” Emma breathed, her heart beat picking up it’s pace, “I do want.” Regina inhaled sharply, her cheeks tingeing a deep red. Emma swore she could see Regina’s own heart beating a little faster, the pulse point in her neck quickening. 

“Okay.” Regina whispered, “Then I will.”


	5. Chapter 5

Emma and Regina parted ways a short time later with promises to meet at the mansion at 7:00. Their goodbye was awkward, yet hopeful, both women stumbling over their words, their heart rates making them giddy. Emma headed back to the station and Regina started off to make amends with her sister. 

Emma’s light steps quickly took her to her office, she had a huge smile plastered across her face, and a kind wave and eager ‘hello’ to everyone she passed. Even Leroy couldn’t help but grin broadly back at her when she greeted him. The Savior was radiating joy this morning no one could deny that.

“Morning Sheriff,” one of her deputies greeted, Fred had been there all night and was ready to go home to his very pregnant wife. 

“Fred, how was the night?” Emma nodded at him and stopped to pour herself a cup of hot stale coffee. 

“Quiet, thank goodness.” Fred stood and stretched, “was able to catch a few z’s.” he yawned, he didn’t look like he had slept much at all. “I can’t lie though, I am looking forward to switching back to the day shift.” He grinned at Emma sheepishly. Fred had requested to go back to the day shift after Kathryn had the baby and Emma had been more than happy to agree, even if that meant she had to take two extra night shifts a month. The rest of the force was happy to shift around their schedules to accommodate the new father as well.

“Don’t know how much more sleep you’ll be getting, though I’m sure it will be worth it.” Emma commented between sips making Fred chuckle. 

“Have a good day Sheriff, you look extra perky today.” Emma blushed and smiled back at him. 

“Take it easy Fred. We’ll see you in a few days.” 

Emma waved him goodbye and headed back into her office, closing the door behind her. She slumped down into her chair, reclining and putting her feet up on her desk. She held her coffee with both hands and smiled into the cup. _’Wow.’_ she thought, _’that was some morning.’_ She felt giddy anticipation about this evening. The thought of spending a whole chunk of uninterrupted time alone with Regina had her bubbling over with excitement. Emma felt closer than ever to Regina, and after their not so accidental touching in the park, Emma couldn’t help but hope to spend more time maybe getting drowsy on the couch together, falling into each other… The thought of Regina’s body pressed into Emma, their curves fitting together, Regina’s soft skin brushing against her own had Emma feeling so dizzy that she had to sit up and put her coffee down. 

That’s when the scope of the situation hit her. Emma had been more turned on by lightly touching shoulders with Regina for a mere five minutes than she had been in the last three or four times she and Hook had been intimate combined. She let out a breath. 

“What am I _doing_?” she said aloud, she stood up and began to pace. _’Am I falling for…?’_ the thought was too ridiculous to finish. But was it? Emma stopped. Regina had always been someone that got her blood boiling, had pushed her buttons. Ever since Emma came to town, Regina had been the yang to Emma’s yin, they filled each other out, balanced each other. They had a son together. Was it so ridiculous to think that…that something _more_ might develop between them?

The obvious answer was no. If Regina had been a man, or more likely, if Emma had… wouldn’t she have made the connection immediately? Wouldn’t the whole town have rooted for it? Hell, they had given up so much for each other, given so much to each other, shared so much. It was a not ridiculous thought. 

What _was_ ridiculous was that Emma had a true love. Regina had a soul mate, even if he was gone; he still remained the one person that Regina’s heart belonged to. Emma snorted at that. The prospect of anything of Regina’s _belonging_ to anyone was outlandish, and certainly not _Robin Hood_. Then what about Hook? Emma picked up her pacing again with more intensity. 

Killian. She had fallen for him, slowly but steadily. He represented something safe and good. A connection to Storybrooke that was just her own. He didn’t come for her, but he stayed for her and he fought for her. Right? He had helped her become more of an emotionally willing person. Hadn’t he? 

Then Emma thought of the gloomiest parts of her relationship with Hook. How he taken in the darkness so quickly, the things he had said to her then, the way he organized centuries of dark ones to murder he family, simply because he wanted to, in his own words, hurt her. It wasn’t something Emma liked to think about, she rarely let herself go there, because every time she did, she questioned not only the basis of her relationship with Killian, but it because it almost always lead her to the question that she had been avoiding since she met him. _‘What is so wrong with me that I am choosing to be treated this way?’_

The happiest she had been with Killian was in the very beginning, when everything felt possible. He had been so kind, so sweet, so handsome. He had made an effort with Henry, had reformed for her, had tried to be the man she wanted him to be. He had succeeded for a while, but if Emma was being honest with herself, and maybe she was finally being honest with herself, things hadn’t felt right for a while. She sat back down at her desk and swiveled her chair to face out the window, she stared blankly at the parking lot, her mind running in circles. Killian had begun to feel like a burden to her. The moment she let the thought cross her mind, she knew that she had been thinking it for ages. Where had it gone wrong? 

And what about this thing Emma was starting to feel about Regina? Just thinking her name made Emma’s heart pound and hands tingle. “What do I do?” she asked the empty room. She felt uncertain, unsure of herself. Was what she was feeling for Regina just misplaced energy from her obvious drift from Killian? Was what she felt for Regina real, or not? Emma didn’t know, but she did feel certainty about one thing; she needed to end things with Killian. No matter what her feelings for Regina meant, she knew that she couldn’t be with the pirate any longer. 

***   
“Go. Away.” Zelena hissed through the screen door. She held a baby monitor in one had and a green fireball in the other. 

“Zelena, please. I came to apologize. I don’t want to-“ Zelena cut her sister off with a sharp laugh. 

“ _You_ came to apologize?” she threw her head back and cackled again. “Well rightly you should, sis. You’ve been terrible.” She extinguished the fireball and swung open the door “Well come in then, if you’re going to apologize you better make it good.” She added behind her shoulder.

Regina fought the urge to throw a snarky something in Zelena’s direction, she was here to make peace and that is exactly what she was going to do.   
Zelena lead her into her kitchen and plopped down in one of the wooden chairs. She looked up expectantly at her sister and pushed one of the remaining chairs out from under the table with her foot and gestured for Regina to sit with her. Hesitantly Regina sat down across from her sister and took a deep breath. 

“I am truly sorry Zelena, for the way I treated you after Robin’s death.” Zelena rolled her eyes, and Regina continued on “I know that it was not your fault, any of it. I should have been more supportive of you and Robyn. You were only following your heart… something I had encouraged you to do back in hell… I don’t want…. All of….” Regina let out another deep breath “all of the progress we made back in hell to get ruined.” Zelena snorted, but her eyes grew a little softer. 

“My, my, without your _evil_ self you certainly are a weepy willow, aren’t you?” Zelena sniffed. Regina glared at her momentarily, but carried on with her speech. 

“I was wrong to think that taking out that part of me would do any good. If anything, it has caused more damage to those I love.” Regina looked up from her lap and made full eye contact with her sister. “I came here for two reasons, the first was to apologize and the second was to ask for your help.” Zelena held her gaze steadily. “I want to ask you to help me to rejoin the Evil…to rejoin both of my halves together.” Zelena looked away and drummed her fingers on the table, the baby monitor blared to life momentarily and they heard a muffled cry and then it was silent again. Regina pressed on, “I have been trying to find something, a spell, an enchantment, anything that could bring us back together. But I haven’t been able to find a thing. I need your help…sis.” Regina stared at her sister nervously and expectantly. Zelena sighed, leaned back and put up both of her feet on the remaining chair.

“Okay.” She said cheerily “I’ll help you.”  
“Seriously?” Regina raised an eyebrow at her, obviously doubtful. 

“Yes, seriously.” Zelena grinned toothily at Regina “Truth be told sis, it’s been quite dull being cooped up with the babe. I’m at my wits end. As loathe I am to admit it, life was a tad bit more interesting when I was running around with you and those idiot Charmings. So, I will help you, and I will accept you apology.” She waved her hand grandly through the air and in it appeared a light green vile.

“And what is that?” Regina asked slowly and skeptically, still slightly suspicious of her sister’s motivations.

“This, my dear sister, is your salvation. One thing about being all alone with a tiny infant means that I have had a lot of time on my hands to…mess about. I have here a fusing potion that should be potent enough to bring the two of you back together.”

Regina was stunned. “You have been working, on a potion to bring together my two selves?” she asked, mouth agape. 

Zelena giggled “Yes!” she crowed “I might have been planning to slip it into each of your glasses next time I could, but I suppose this is alright too.” 

“Why on earth would you want to do that?” Regina asked, still amazed that this was the outcome of her talk with Zelena. 

“Well, like I said before sis, I am incredibly _bored_. I thought that this might enliven things a bit.” Zelena said nonchalantly “Honestly though, I’m surprised you couldn’t have thought of this” she waved the bottle around gleefully “it really was quite simple. A whole month you said?” she laughed “I guess I really am the smart one!” 

Regina sat there, completely at a loss. Finally she pulled herself together to question her older sister on the workings of this potion.

“Well, technically it’s a serum, so putting it in your drinks wasn’t really ever an option.” Zelena sighed dramatically “What needs to happen in order for this to work, which I am sure it will,” she added when Regina opened her mouth to interject “is for a small amount of this to be rubbed onto any bit of your skin, as well as your better half’s skin. Ideally in the same spot, then the serum will begin to pull you two together, once you are joined at the place where the serum was applied, it will begin to fuse you back into one being!” she declared. 

Regina had to admit that this sounded reasonable and after she examined the serum she was sure that it would work. She still couldn’t believe that it was all unfolding so simply. She was also slightly embarrassed that after months of slaving over her books she hadn’t thought of this, it was a simple solution. She and Emma had been researching the topic for weeks and neither of them had come even a fraction of as close as Zelena had. She smirked to herself at the reaction the Savior would have to this news. Regina felt the sudden urge to call Emma, felt strongly that somehow Emma should be here with her now. They had after all been working so hard together; didn’t she deserve to be here for the news? 

“Oh, go on and call the Sheriff then.” Zelena cut through Regina’s thoughts, rolling her eyes “you clearly want to.” She winked at Regina, and then excused herself to tend to the baby who had woken in earnest. Regina blushed, was she that transparent? She brushed it off and pulled out her phone hesitating a moment before engaging the call. 

“Regina, is everything okay?” Emma answered almost immediately “I only just left you an hour ago.” Emma sounded a little on edge and Regina wondered what the Sheriff had gotten herself into the short time they had been apart. 

“Yes, Emma. Everything is fine. I am calling, actually because…” Regina was suddenly nervous, what if Emma didn’t actually _want_ Regina to come back together? Hadn’t Emma been the one to nearly kill the Queen with that ridiculous hero’s sword? 

“Regina?” Emma prompted 

“Sorry. I’m calling because I’m here with Zelena.” Regina pressed on determinedly, “We have spoken, and she as it turns out, has been working on a solution to our…my problem.”

“What do you mean?” Emma asked warily “The two yous you mean?” 

“Yes, exactly. My sister has made a serum that should actually get the job done.”

“What? Seriously Regina?” Emma asked, obviously just as shocked as Regina had been when Zelena had presented her with the serum. Regina couldn’t tell if Emma was pleased or not, it made her slightly sharp and defensive. 

“Yes, seriously Ms. Swan. Do you think I would joke about something like this?” She said

“Wow, no Regina. I just meant, that’s great, but is it safe?” Emma asked. Regina furrowed her brow; embarrassed at the tone she had taken with the Savior. Emma was simply concerned for her wellbeing. This thought sent a little fizz of electricity through Regina. 

“I have looked it over,” she said, her voice softer, “and it does seem to be safe. Honestly it is quite well made. A simple fusing spell.” She laughed, her low voice vibrating through the phone, “I can’t believe that between the two of us we weren’t able to think of it.”

On the other end of the line, Emma had had to sit down. The change in Regina’s voice from sharp to soft and that low rumbling laugh had had quite the effect on Emma. The Sheriff pressed her legs together and closed her eyes. Sure now, more than ever that Hook had nothing to do with what she was feeling toward the Mayor of Storybrooke. Emma cleared her throat and managed to rasp out a response.

“So, uh, when are you going to do it? The rejoining I mean.” She asked

“I’m not sure. Obviously sooner is better than later…” Regina trailed off. In the last few months she had felt different without her more angry and volatile self attached to her. There was more room for blossoms of hope inside of her, there was more space for new feelings to grow, more space for feelings that had been squashed down to rise up in gentle tendrils. Would taking the Queen back obliterate those feelings? Regina thought back to that morning in the park, the electric heat that she felt from touching Emma. The easiness of her company, the elation she felt lately from just thinking of her.

Did Regina want to obliterate those feelings? Sure, it felt nice now, but the more time she spent with the Savior, the stronger the urge to reach out and touch her pounded through Regina’s veins. How long would it be before these feelings stopped being a source of joy and excitement and started to be another reminder of someone who was lost to her? As long as that damned pirate was in the picture, Regina knew that Emma could never be hers. 

That thought was so startling to Regina that she nearly dropped her phone. She knew abruptly that that was all she wanted; for Emma Swan to be hers, to hold her and kiss her and touch her. She was suddenly so desperate to touch her, to feel her pink lips against the skin of her neck. Regina nearly whimpered. She gathered herself back to reality from her unexpected tangent. 

“Regina?” Emma was asking “Are you still there?”

“Yes, sorry. I’m still here.” Regina said softly. “To answer your question, I think the sooner the better.” If taking back the Queen would indeed damp down the feelings that she had for Emma, then that was for the best and it needed to be done as soon as possible. Regina’s joy that she had held since this morning was already spoiling into a sad longing throb. “I want to do it now.” She affirmed. 

“Okay.” Emma said slowly, taking it in. “What’s the plan?”

Regina sighed, as much as she suddenly didn’t want to see the Savior, Regina knew she would be helpful and necessary in the execution of the plan, so she said “Come to the farmhouse and the three of us will move from there.” Regina’s heart was heavy with her realization and it weighed down her words. 

“Okay,” Emma repeated, “I’ll be right there.” And the line went dead


	6. Chapter 6

Regina stood in her sister’s kitchen staring blankly out of the window while Zelena soothed a grumpy baby in the next room. She felt sick, her stomach churning, her head pounding. Regina’s heart seemed to beat one word, each beat turning lub-dub lub-dub to Em-ma Em-ma. She wanted to rip that traitorous organ out of her own chest. 

Six years. She had spent six years cramming down the stubborn feelings. Six years pretending. She had thought she was successful; the last year in particular had made her believe that she could relax some of the constant guard she felt protecting the greatest secret of her life. Emma had been with Hook, Emma had gone to hell for Hook. Regina had had Robin, sweet Robin, who never questioned, who simply supported her. It has been easier, and then Robin died and for one moment Regina thought that she and Emma could share in their heartbreak. But Hook, that stinking, rum-soaked buffoon had come back. And Emma was happy. 

So of course Regina had to retaliate, had to do something. So she split herself. She took out of the part of her that schemed and raged, that wanted to rip Hook’s throat with her bare hands. And it had worked, for a little while. She had felt freer, more focused on herself. Empty of the hatred, she could somehow stand to be in the same room as the pirate, she could almost feel happy at Emma’s happiness. So she thought it had worked.

Until the Queen, that raging part of herself had sent Emma away. And everything started to crumble. Regina reacted as she might have before, she chased Emma across realms, she killed for her, and when they returned home Regina knew. Knew that it was worse without the rage. That caring for Emma Swan, pining for her, hurt so much more without the guard. She had let herself hope, had searched the younger woman for signs, had created moments in her head, deluding herself with wishes of Emma possibly returning her affections. 

“What’s the plan, sis?” Zelena entered, bouncing baby Robyn on her hip. 

“Sheriff Swan will be here shortly,” said Regina, her back to her sister “and then we need you to bring the Queen here.” She turned to Zelena “You two are still speaking aren’t you?”

“Oh, yeah. That won’t be a problem, that Queen loves me.” Zelena looked pointedly at Regina, who rolled her eyes.

“Stop fishing for compliments.” She muttered as Emma materialized on the front porch in a swirl of white. Regina sighed, shrinking into herself for a moment before she gathered herself and opened the door for the Savior. Zelena watched her sister with a wrinkle of worry in her brow. Moments before Regina was sharing a secret smile with herself and Zelena had been sure that it was because of the blonde, what had changed in the last few minutes?

“Emma,” Regina nodded toward Emma and moved aside, careful not to get too close to the woman as she entered. 

“Hey…” Emma looked uncomfortable, her gaze lingering on Regina’s face, searching for a reason for her sudden change in demeanor toward her. _’Was I coming on too strong before? Was I being weird? Does she know? Does she not want it?’_ Emma thought, worriedly. She slipped her hands in her back pockets and finally turned to Zelena. “Hi Zelena…everything ok?” she asked the room at large. Regina, who had still not looked Emma in the eyes moved to stand next to her sister and drew herself up to her full height. She mustered herself to meet the Saviors eyes and was shocked to see cautious hurt (and was that longing?) in them. Regina couldn’t help but soften at the sight and it sickened her.

“Everything is fine.” She said, haltingly

“…Oookay…” Emma said, shuffling her feet “so what’s the plan then?”

“The plan,” said Zelena, taking a step forward, still gently bouncing the baby “is for me, to ring up Queeny and have her come round.”

“Once she is here,” Regina cut in “we will need to subdue her long enough to apply the serum to her skin, I will apply my own serum, and then we will say the words together to activate the spell, and well… we will be rejoined.” 

“Pretty clever, huh?”Zelena grinned at Emma who smiled thinly back. 

“Yeah, great. Can’t believe we didn’t think of it.” Emma said weakly. Zelena openly stared between the two women, _what_ was going on with these two? She wondered. 

“Alright, well enough of this…whatever it is…Let’s call in the more evil side of my sister.” Said Zelena “Let me just get Robyn’s little chair, where could it be…” she trailed off leaving Emma and Regina alone as she went in search of the bouncy chair that she knew very well was folded up in the kitchen pantry. 

Regina stood stiffly while Emma awkwardly hunched on the other side of the room. The easy closeness of the morning had been replaced with a tense and sharp distance. Emma cleared her throat, looking up at Regina, whose face was stony, her jaw set. 

“You nervous?” Emma tried

“Hm?” Regina asked, pulling herself out of her head “Oh. No, not particularly.” She stated. Emma waited for her to say something more, but Regina remained silent and Emma didn’t know what else to say. When Zelena finally came back into the kitchen the other two women were standing on opposite ends of the room, Regina ignoring Emma and Emma shooting Regina a pained expression every now and then. 

_’God. These two are dense.’_ Zelena thought. 

“Well, turns out the chair is in here after all...” she stated, though neither of the women seemed to notice her entrance. “Oi!” Zelena raised her voice to them, making the baby giggle “Shall we get on with this then? You two are sucking all the joy out of the room.” If it were at all possible for Regina to get any stiffer, in the moment she did. 

“Yes, let’s get on with it.” Regina repeated and Emma nodded glumly. _’what the hell is going on?_ she thought again. 

“Okay. You two sad-sacks wait in there,” Regina opened the pantry door and gestured for them to get inside. “When you hear me say….oh I don’t know, what should I say for you two to come out and zap her with a holding spell?” 

“What about cheers?” Emma offered lamely.

“What about not?” Zelena jeered, “Alright, I’ll just think of everything shall I? When you hear me stomp my foot two times you jump out and stun her, yeah?” 

“How are you going to work that into casual conversation?” Regina asked skeptically

“Just leave that to me, I am the mastermind behind this whole operation anyway.” Said Zelena loftily as she ushered the two women into the pantry and shut the door on them with a wicked grin and a wink. 

There was barely enough room in the pantry for both Regina and Emma, they stood crammed together uncomfortably. Finally Emma made the move that made the most sense, instead of pressing awkwardly shoulder-to-shoulder with their elbows pressing into each other’s soft sides, 

“Regina,” Emma whispered and gently reached down and turned Regina’s hips toward her own. They now stood face to face and although there was now more space between them, just a hair, Regina felt the Savior more acutely in the small area. 

Regina could feel Emma’s breath puffing past her ear, making the hair on the back of her neck stand. She stifled a shiver and simultaneously felt a wave of heat rising from her core. Across from her Emma was mustering all of her strength to keep her breathing from becoming ragged with want. Her fingertips still burned hot from where she had lightly pulled at Regina’s hips. 

They could now hear, muffled by the door, two voices rising and falling. It was a good idea that they had agreed on a stomp, because with the door to the pantry closed, Regina couldn’t decipher individual words. The voices rose and fell for a few minutes. Regina’s heart was beating faster and faster, the thrill of what they were about to do catching up with her. Emma’s own heart was beating fast as well, she felt drunk at the close proximity to Regina and her palms were slick with nervous sweat. They both struggled to keep their attention at the door instead of on each other.

Then it came. One thump and then two, and the two women burst in unison from the door. Regina saw a look of triumph on Zelena’s face and stunned anger on her own mirror image; the Queen. Before she could think to move, Emma blasted out with her white magic and locked the Queen in a spell of immovability. Regina blinking back to her senses added her own spell to reinforce the one Emma had cast. Then it was over. Or nearly. The Queen stood, slowly blinking her eyes and looking from Regina to Emma, a slow and satisfied smile pulling at her lips.

Emma slumped back against the wall panting, adrenaline coursing through her. Zelena calmly reached into her pocket and pulled out the green vile. With the utmost care she opened the stopper and dipped a q-tip into cylinder. Zelena applied a small amount of the serum the inner wrist of the frozen queen and then reached out for Regina’s hand. Regina willingly gave it to her sister; all the while her eyes were locked on the Queen who seemed to be, against all odds, enjoying herself. 

Regina winced, the serum burned slightly against her skin. Noticing this, Emma moved slightly closer to her, defensive of the other woman. Zelena looked up and smiled fondly at the Savior, which only succeeded in making Emma more on edge. 

“There.” Zelena said, finally. Regina and Emma both let out a breath of relief. “Now,” she said, looking Emma full in the face, “you and I will say the words that will activate the spell. It is important that we don’t stop, that we keep repeating until they are fully joined, do you understand?” 

“Yes.” Emma nodded, “I understand, let’s do this.” Emma reached for Regina’s hand and squeezed it before moving across the kitchen to stand with Zelena. Regina curled the hand that Emma had touched into a fist, closing her eyes for a moment, trying to collect herself. When she and the Queen would be rejoined it would be easier to control her feelings, just like before. She wouldn’t have the slow warm hope that had planted itself in her chest. She wouldn’t feel like she did that morning, like anything was possible, she wouldn’t have that lie manipulating her senses. 

When she was rejoined with the Queen Regina would be free to wrap herself in her dark cloak of protection again, she could leave Emma, maybe even grow to hate her. Anything to keep her from this terrible longing; how wrong she had been to try and cast out that protection.

Zelena and Emma began to say the words, and as they did Regina felt the edges of her heart blur. The Queen on the other side of the room also started to blur, her form becoming misty. Emma and Zelena continued to chant, and Regina felt herself being pulled toward the misty Queen whose smile became broader and broader, even as her form became less and less human. And then she was gone, in her place a roiling wind of purples, blacks, and whites. The spot where Zelena had applied the serum was burning Regina with such intensity that she cried out, her whole being felt like it was splitting open, pulling the Queen into her center, forcing itself into the empty spaces of her soul. 

Emma looked up in alarm when Regina cried out, her voice wavered but she never stopped saying the words. She followed Zelena’s intonation and did not trip over the unfamiliar words once. Emma’s whole being was focused on the spell and the woman in front of her. Regina gripping the table, knuckles white, face contorted in pain, her breathing heavy. Emma longed to reach out and touch her, to hold her while she suffered, to ease her pain, but she remained rooted to her spot next to Zelena only watching and chanting, putting as much care into the words she was saying as was possible. 

And then it was done. Regina stood before them, full and whole. Her breathing was becoming more regulated, her posture impeccable. On her face was a mixed look of pain and serenity. There in her eyes was the familiar glint of the Queen, the one that had been missing these last few months. Unbidden, Emma crossed the room and wrapped the woman in a tight hug, her entire body eagerly pressing into the form before her. 

For a moment Regina’s body melted into Emma’s, her arms encircled her and she held the Savior to her, every cell in her body on fire and demanding more. Their breathing was synchronized, their hearts beating in tandem. Emma clung to Regina, pouring every ounce of tenderness and adoration, gratitude and appreciation that she could into her embrace. _’She has to know.’_ Emma thought. _’She has to understand that this is all I want.’_

And then Regina pulled away. She pulled away and it cost all of her remaining energy not to stay in Emma’s arms. The pain was worse than splitting herself in two. Regina pulled herself away because she could feel the fear of loss rising in her; she clung to her old ways of breaking before she could be broken. Regina took two steps back, summoning her familiar cloak of protection around her. Her body trembled, but her voice was clear.

“Thank you.” She said to both women. “Emma, please take Henry tonight? I need… I need to be alone.” 

Emma nodded numbly, still slightly reaching out for Regina. Then she faltered, “What about our plans?” she asked quietly, still unwilling to let go the closeness. Unwilling to Regina leave, knowing that if she did, she had failed. She felt desperate to rekindle the look that she had seen in Regina’s eyes, the one that told Emma that she was wanted just as much as she herself wanted.

“Emma-“ Regina looked imploringly at the blonde, “I can’t.” she whispered, and in those two words Emma knew, knew that she could not have Regina. That what she felt that morning had crumbled before it ever had a chance to grow. She felt a wave a nausea roll over her, she felt her heart constrict in her chest. “I just need some time.” Regina offered, clearly seeing the hurt in Emma’s eyes. 

Emma fought back tears, embarrassed and stung, Regina had rejected her. Regina had pushed her away before she had even given her a chance. “Yeah, of course.” She forced out, her voice cracking. “I’ll uh…I’ll tell the kid that he should… come to my house tonight.” Regina nodded and turned to her sister, her own eyes also filled with unshed tears. 

“Thank you.” Regina said again, and Zelena smiled at her, concerned but gentle.

“What else are sister’s for? You make sure you get some sleep tonight. I’ll come round with Robyn in the morning.” Regina nodded and sighed. She moved across the kitchen, feeling the desire to walk home instead of ‘poofing’ there. She gave Emma one last look before she left the kitchen, the Savior was pale, her face sagging under the strain of the magic she had just used. 

“Bye Zelena, I’ll uh…see you around I guess. Thanks.” Said Emma, Zelena nodded at her with understanding in her eyes, and then Emma was gone, swirling away in her white mist. At her departure Regina let out a soft cry, feeling acutely Emma’s absence. She knew exactly what had happened. Emma had held her and Regina knew that it wasn’t a delusion, those moments had not been a figment of her hopeful imagination. They had been real, and mutual, and Regina had pushed Emma away. Dear, sweet, broken Emma, the woman who had once been a lost girl, who fought so hard for acceptance and for love. The woman who had conquered dragons and darkness, who had saved Regina more times than Regina could count. Emma, who had just shown Regina naked vulnerability; Emma, the mother of her son. _’What have I done?’_ Regina thought to herself, a wail of anguish building in her. She threw open the door to the cottage and ran. 

Leaving Zelena and Robyn staring out after in her quiet sadness. Zelena scooped up the baby and held her close. “Well that didn’t go quite as we thought it would, did it little darling?” she softly cooed to the baby. “Those two are hopeless, don’t you think?” Robyn burbled up at her mother and Zelena smiled down at her “No, you’re right, those two idiots will come to their sense eventually.”


	7. Chapter 7

Emma shoved her hands deep into her coat pockets and hunched against the wind and rain. She had ‘poofed’ herself away from the farmhouse, not caring where she went as long as it was _away_ ; she had ended up at the park. God, had it only been this morning that she had shared a bench with Regina? Emma felt sick to her stomach and trekked on. The drizzle had started some time ago, the sky going grey and dark, and now it was raining in earnest, cold droplets seeping into Emma’s socks and cap. Emma had briefly spoken with Henry; he would meet her at her house later that evening. She had time.  


She walked until her thighs were red and itching from the cold. It was getting darker now. _‘I must look crazy.’_ she thought to herself and a frantic sob ripped through her. Emma stilled, breathing deeply and leaned back against a tree, her body heavy. She was afraid to see herself, afraid to admit what had happened back there at the farmhouse. _’But you don’t even know what happened.’_ a gentle voice in her head soothed, Emma shook because she had _known_ what had happened, knew with every fiber of her being what had happened.  


One of the greatest constants in Emma’s life since Storybrooke was the charge that she got when she was around Regina. In her darkest and most fearful moments, Regina was there, zapping her back to reality. It didn’t matter if they were fighting, if they were on good terms, Regina and Henry had been the spark in a dark, dark world for Emma. The connections that Emma shared with Regina were complicated, varied, deep, and utterly unique. By this point she could read Regina like a picture book and she knew that Regina could read her back with equal literacy.  


Emma knew Regina like they were made from the same cloth, and when she had pressed herself into Regina with all she had Emma felt a click into place, an anchoring. This was mutual, this was _right_ , this was the beginning of everything. And then she had felt Regina stiffen and pull away, and Emma felt like she had been ripped away from her home and thrown out to the street.  
She chuckled darkly to herself, this was her life, and this was her pattern. Be left, leave, be left, and leave, on and on. And now she was here, home, the place where she found her family, the place where she learned who she was. Emma knew she would never give this up, never leave Henry behind. She couldn’t leave her parents, her friends, the people who knew her as Emma and the people who knew her as the Savior. She had changed, she wasn’t an orphan anymore, and she had been to hell and back.  
Emma turned and shuffled away, out of the park and back toward town. She knew that she was in love with Regina and she knew that she had to end things with Hook. No matter what was going on between Emma and Regina she owed it to him to be honest. She had given so much of herself to this relationship that a part of her ached at the thought of giving it up, of never seeing David and Hook storming around together again, the front line heroes (surely her own father would stop the camaraderie with him once they had broken up?). Hook was a part of her life in Storybrooke too; he was such a major part of her story. She owed it to them both to close their book with grace and honesty. Her stomach tightened, she just wasn’t sure how it would go. 

***

 

Emma had come home, resolve pounding through her veins; Killian had been on the couch with Henry, drunk. The two were watching some kind of teen tv drama, Hook’s eyes half closed. _‘Well, shit.’_ Emma thought, there is no way she could break it off with him while he was half asleep and drunk. 

Henry jumped up immediately, “Mom!! No one is telling me what is going on and Mom is not answering her phone.”

Emma wrinkled her brow “She’s not? You haven’t heard anything from her?”

“Well,” Henry started, “she has texted me, but she’s not giving any details and it’s weird!” at this Emma relaxed.

“She’s fine Henry. Just a little…overwhelmed I imagine… She uh, today we, put her back together?” Emma glanced nervously toward the couch where Killian still sat, his eyes on her, half intense focus and half fogged over. 

“What! How could you not tell me?” Henry crowed, his voice cracking so that even though he was now as tall as Emma the tenacious little boy that had shown up on her doorstep shone through. 

“Everything is fine, we are all fine and it was a total success. Don’t worry, your mom is just processing, I’m sure she’ll be back to herself in no time.” 

“What about Grandma and Grandpa?” Henry asked eagerly. 

“Well,” Emma said, slightly chagrined, she hadn’t spared her parents sleeping curse a second thought that day, but if Regina and the Queen were together again, that probably meant that her parents curse could be lifted. “I assume we will have more insight on, ya know, breaking the curse now!” Emma tried for upbeat, but her attention was on Killian, who was still looking at her like he knew what she had intended to do when she walked through the front door. “Henry, do you mind giving me and Killian a minute?” she asked quietly to her son. 

Henry looked anxious for a moment and then nodded, his jaw tight. He grabbed his iPod and stomped his way up the stairs, inserting his ear buds as he went. Emma sighed, they all knew what was coming next. Hook had probably said something flippant to Henry, either about Emma or Regina. It wasn’t the first time he had used Henry to convey his annoyance to her. That really pissed Emma off, plus he was drunk. Full on, bumbling idiot drunk. He was making her decision easier, but making the enacting of it harder. 

Hook had two drunk faces, the first was mopey, that was fine because it was rare enough, cute even sometimes. The second face was darker and admittedly even more rare, but it was the same taste of Hook that she had seen when he became a Dark One. That nasty man, nasty pirate who would kill your whole family. She wasn’t sure which version of the man she would see tonight; either way she wanted Henry away for it. Emma braced herself as he made to stand he stumbled slightly. 

“I missed you today.” He swaggered, leaning down to embrace her, he was heavy and put his weight on her, pinning her against the kitchen island. He was not rough, he pressed his weight onto her like it was too much for him to carry and he needed her to do it for him. Emma wrapped her arms around him, but angled her hips and face away, patting his back gingerly. 

“Come on Kil, lets get you up to bed, hm?” she asked, using all the patience she had to keep her voice genuine. 

“You’ll take me?” he mumbled into her neck, his breath hot and uneven. 

“Yeah Kil, lets you and me go up to bed.” He leaned on her and together they made their way up the stairs to the bedroom. She pulled off his boots and coat and let him flop down on the bed; she carefully removed his hook and went to the bathroom to get him a glass of water for when he would wake. 

“Hey Kid, you awake?” Emma knocked and opened Henry’s door. 

“Ma, you know it doesn’t count as knocking if you open the door while you do it.” Henry smiled good-naturedly up at her from his bed. He was propped up, fully clothed with his feet over the covers, playing video games on his iPod. The normal sight made Emma’s heart swell. This kid was worth all the crap in the world. 

“Yeah, yeah.” She said “Mind if I sit?” Henry shrugged, but moved his feet away so that Emma could sit at the foot of his bed. 

“How’s Killian?” Henry asked, purposely looking away from Emma and Emma’s heart clenched. 

“I’m sorry you had to see him that way.” She said, “I know it isn’t easy and he shouldn’t be…” she trailed off, not wanting to make excuses for Hook, but also wanting to protect the image that Henry had of him. 

“It’s ok.” Henry said, knowing full well that it wasn’t. “He’s just tired, right?” 

“Yeah, Kid.” Emma sighed, unsure of how to make things better. 

“My Mom’s really okay?” Henry asked, his voice little. 

“She’s really okay.” Emma said, again trying to add some cheer and reassurance into her voice. The truth was she didn’t really know if Regina was okay, she didn’t know what was going on with her for the first time in years and it made the hair stand up on Emma’s skin. Radio silence from Regina was never comfortable, but now it left an aching chasm her. 

Emma left Henry in his room, saying goodnight and closing the door behind her. She didn’t go to her bedroom; instead she quietly padded down the stairs and plopped on the couch. The tv was still on, two ridiculously attractive people were having an argument. Emma clicked through the channels and settled finally on Animal Planet, she muted the tv and leaned back against the pillows, scrolling through her phone. She sent a few texts to her Mom, letting her know the events of the day, she was pretty sure that it was her Mom’s time to be awake. Emma explained that she didn’t want to speak, blaming her tiredness and promised her that they would meet up tomorrow to discuss what to do next. 

Emma was stalling, what she really wanted to do was poof herself over to Regina’s and talk. What she _really_ wanted to do was to poof herself over to Regina’s and _not_ talk, but after today she doubted that would ever be a possibility. She scrunched down on the couch, laying on her back with her knees up, her hair draped over the arm. How would Regina act now? Not only had Emma basically, more or less, revealed her feelings to her, but also now Regina had her Evil Queen bits back in place. Would she have the memories of the Queen while she was separate? 

Frowning at her phone Emma clicked on Regina’s contact, Henry had changed it when Emma first got her iPhone to a picture of Regina hugging Henry. She stared at it now, memorizing the lines in both of their faces. Henry was only twelve when the picture had been taken, still with a messy mop of hair and teeth that were too big for his smile. Regina had her hair long, Henry was looking at the camera but Regina was smiling down at Henry, her face split open and the sun shining out from her loving grin, she looked like she was mid-laugh.

***

A few streets over Regina sat alone in her dark house, an untouched glass of cider on the coffee table before her. She had spent the afternoon exactly where she was, staring off into nothing as her body and mind readjusted to the coming home of the Evil Queen. It had been painful at first, her skin felt stretched and body bloated. In her head there were new echoes, memories that were not quite hers, not quite clear. 

There were the new emotions, the old ones really, the ones that had driven her to push herself away. All in all it was calmer than she would have expected. There was a sense of rightness. A click and a settle that made her see more clearly. At first she had a headache but now that was slowly fading and Regina was left with that long remembered homeostatic buzz of anger just lurking out of sight. 

What perplexed Regina the most was the magnification of her feelings toward one blonde sheriff. She had expected her longing to be replaced, at the very least for that old scorn and resentment, the one that she had first felt when Emma came to town. Now though she felt a host of new, and frankly enjoyable feelings. While she was separate from the Queen she had felt lust and physical attraction to Emma, but it had been tempered with a shyness and guilt. Now, with the Queen’s passion back in it’s rightful place Regina’s own desire for Emma had mounted and tripled three-fold. It was a furnace stoked by the closeness they had shared in the last few weeks. 

Dread was mixed in too, because she remembered the look that Emma had had on her face when Regina had pulled away from her, unable to stop herself from falling into the fear of loss. The look on Emma’s face had broken Regina’s heart right then and there. She had seen the anguish and resignation in Emma’s face, and then Emma had left. Regina had not followed, and Regina had not tried to contact her. She stood as a wave of guilty nausea rolled through her. Regina grabbed the full glass in front of her and threw it violently into the fireplace, the crystal shattering and the alcohol momentarily fanning the flames. She balled her hands into fists, her nails digging into the palms of her hands. Why could she never get anything right? 

This was _all_ that idiot pirates fault, she told herself, as she paced the study. If he hadn’t come along she and Emma would be together. Regina was sure of this. That had been their path, they had been slowly moving down it, falling more and more and then as though a pair of heartless bastards wanted to keep them apart, down plopped Captain Moron and stole the show. She stopped her frantic pacing, drawing on all of her reserves to calm herself. Her heart was beating wildly.

She would just have to make things work for her. The Queen had done it all the time that was always how she had worked. Maybe she could take a leaf out of her book now, maybe it was time to get what she deserved. A little fire had started in her chest, kindling and growing larger as her resolve grew. First she was going to make things right with Snow and Charming, and then she would make things right with their daughter. Regina would just have to give it everything she had, and she was sure that this time, it would be enough.  
*** 

Emma woke with a crick in her neck as her phone buzzed on her chest. Eagerly she looked at the screen, hoping to see that picture of Regina and Henry flash, but it was just the notice that her phone was dying. Her stomach dropped. She sat up and rubbed the back of her neck, feeling sorry for herself again. She wasn’t technically relegated to the couch; she had just chosen not to spend the night with the rum-soaked pirate in her bed. She sighed and stood, stalking over to the kitchen to plug in her phone before it shut off. 

When had she grown to resent Hook so much? In the last twelve hours she felt like she had done a complete one-eighty. Her feelings for him changing from total dopey-adoration to queasy shame. Emma looked out the window, dawn was not far away, and she was awake again another day at an unreasonable hour. She hoped that that wouldn’t be a trend. Emma knew that’s her problems with Hook had coincided with her realization of her feelings for Regina, but she also knew that their problems had been there lurking in the background this whole time. How had she been so blind not to seen Hook for what he was from the beginning? 

Emma was dreading her talk with Hook. She knew that it had to be soon. She didn’t know much longer she could pretend, avoiding she could do, she had been avoiding him for weeks now. But, it was different now. Now she craved her freedom from him like the very air she breathed, now she felt the walls of their relationship like a prison, like a constriction. It had to be today.

Emma jumped when her phone buzzed again, this time continuing past the one buzz alert, signaling a phone call. She sprang up from her place at the window and snatched her phone off the counter. Regina or not, a phone call this early in the morning was reason enough to jump. 

“Hello?” Emma answered,

“Emma! Sweetie!” it was two voices on the line, two voices and a gurgling baby. 

“Mom? Dad?” Emma asked, stunned “You’re both awake?”  
“Yes, honey, we are! Isn’t it just wonderful? Regina just came and it took care of it! Oh Emma, I am just so happy. ” Snow was gushing, she could hear her father laughing in the background talking with someone, Regina?

“I’ll come right now.” Emma said quickly, scrawling a note for Henry so that he could come over when he woke up, and sliding her jacket on. She was out the door in less than a minute and slamming the door to the bug and pulling out of the driveway before she could think to ‘poof’. Her heart was pounding, she had a lump in her throat, and her palms were clammy. She was both desperate to see Regina and terrified.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How old is Neal??? Is he two? Is it still an infant? I don't understand how time works on this show. I'm imagining him to be around 10 months.

“Oh, Regina, I can’t thank you enough!” Snow was sobbing into David’s shoulder, her face beet red. Regina was on the floor legs curled delicately at her sides while she played with Neal who was crawling now and attempting to climb Regina like _she_ was the playpen. David’s own eyes were misty as he gazed on his wife, he whispered into her neck and Regina averted her eyes.

“Honestly, if you two are going to be that way I’ll curse you all over again.” She muttered darkly, which made Snow sob all the harder. “I’m only kidding, Snow.” Regina amended, more kindly.

“I know Regina, I know you are.” She sniffled “I’m just…I’m just….” She hiccupped, “I’m just-“

“Breath Snow, I’m not going anywhere.” David rubbed soothing circles into Snow’s back and she relaxed into him. The two had been glued together since Regina had come and performed the counter-curse. Really, she couldn’t blame them. 

She had been up all night working through her memories of the Evil Queen in an attempt to undo the curse she had created. Finally, close to dawn she had had a breakthrough and immediately poofed herself over to the loft. Snow had been up with Neal, singing to him while birds circled and chirped along with her, Regina had almost turned around and left at the sight. 

“Snow, David,” Regina said as she stood up “why don’t I take Neal back to my house for a while so that you two can…catch up?” 

Snow leapt to her feet “Yes. Yes. That is a great idea.” She began to haphazardly throw toys and diapers into a bag. She thrust said bag at Regina moments later, smiling manically “Here. Everything’s there. Call Emma if you need anything.”

Regina let herself be ushered out of the apartment, the baby on one hip and the diaper bag hanging from her other arm. 

“Well.” She said to the baby, “Let’s go back to my house, yes?” She smiled at him and he grinned back. Neal loved Regina and did not mind in the slightest that he had been foisted onto her. 

“Oh, drat.” She muttered, “I didn’t take the car… hm. Well, just don’t tell your mother ok? We are going to just take the quick way home. It’s perfectly safe, don’t you worry.” She continued to grin at him as they poofed away in a swirl of deep purple. 

*** 

Emma sat out front of the loft staring at the steering wheel. She had driven ridiculously fast through the town, but now that she was here, she was too nervous to go up. “Get it together Swan” she said to herself, she bounced up and down a few times in the seat, trying to pump herself up “It’s just Regina. It’s just Regina. It’s just your best friend who you’re totally in love with. It’s totally fine. It’s totally normal. Just go up, and say hi to your parents. If Regina’s there, oh, well, didn’t expect to see you.” She let out a deep breath. “Okay.” 

She flung the car door open, then gingerly stepped out. Each step she climbed up the stairs made her stomach flutter more and more, until finally it felt like there was a full beehive in her chest. Before she could psych herself out even more Emma swung the door open and strode into the loft… Only to be greeted by two pale naked bodies panting and grinding on the floor in front of her.

“Mom! Dad!” Emma shrieked and turned and ran from apartment. “What the fuck!” she yelled as she thundered down the stairs and out to her car. “What the fuck. What the fuck.” As she started the engine “Fucking, fucking what.” Her verbal tirade slowed as she drove through town, her heart still beating fast from the horror show she had just witnessed. That had been the last thing in the world she had expected to see when she walked into the apartment. The last thing in the world she had _ever_ wanted to see. 

Emma parked her car in front of the mansion and fished her phone out of her jacket pocket. She sent a text to Henry “Do NOT go to your grandparents. I’m at your Mom’s.”, still shaking her head she made her way up the garden path to the front door. All nerves about Regina scattered to the wind. Emma let herself in and was greeted this time by the smell of coffee and the sounds of a baby laughing. “Off to a way better start.” She muttered to herself as she kicked her shoes off.

“Regina?” Emma called through the house “Regina, I just left my parents house and let me tell you they are together. Like, more together than a daughter should ever see her parents. Right there, on the floor.” Emma was mostly talking to herself as she made her way through the foyer and into the living room, following the sounds of her brother.

“Emma?” Regina who had once again been on the floor with the youngest Charming stood suddenly “I wasn’t expecting you.” Her face was shocked, her voice strained and hopeful. 

“Oh,” Emma stopped, for a moment prepared to flee, but then she steeled herself. No. She was here to see Regina and that’s exactly what she was going to do. “Well. My mom called before, and I heard you in the background, and I wanted to check in.” Emma drew herself up to her full height and carried on, “Yesterday….Yesterday we didn’t talk about what happened and now that you’ve had some time, I want to know how you’re doing.” She stated, proud for a moment in her ability to push through the discomfort and fear. 

Regina moved toward Emma tentatively but held back a meter or so away. She tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled nervously. 

“I’m good, Emma.” She paused, “I’m glad you came.” Emma’s hands had begun to sweat again, the moment of bravery faltering at Regina’s hesitancy, but Regina’s smile was warm and it loosened some of the coils in Emma’s stomach, and Emma returned her smile. Neal, who was sitting on the floor chimed in with a loud raspberry and a shriek of laughter, which was affective in pulling the two women’s attention away from each other.

“Hey, bro.” Emma crossed the room and squatted down next to him, reaching out to tickle his naked feet. The boy squealed and clapped his hands, happy to be the center of attention once again. 

“I took him for the day,” Regina explained unnecessarily as she resumed her place on the blanketed floor. Emma plopped herself down and stretched her legs out, leaning back against her arms. 

“Yeah.” Said Emma as she rolled her eyes dramatically, “I noticed.” Regina grimaced then shuddered, clearly forming a picture of what Emma had seen in her own mind.

“I’m sorry you had to see that.” Regina said with a rye smile

“Not as sorry as I am, believe you me.” Emma snorted. Neal was trying in vein to pull his foot up to his mouth so that he could suck on his toes; after a few attempts the force of his pull toppled him over and he used that opportunity to roll onto his stomach and make a break for the kitchen. “Hey now,” Emma said and scooted after him.

“Let him go,” Regina said and with a flick of her wrist a baby gate appeared at the kitchen entrance. With another flick the rest of the room was baby proofed. “If he gets tired now, maybe he will nap a while this afternoon.” Regina leaned back against the couch behind her, her body relaxing. “I haven’t slept in days and I could use a sleep.” As if to emphasize this she yawned. 

“Well, I can take him if you want me to. For a while anyway so you can rest. I’m on call at the station tonight for emergencies, and I only have…uh…one thing to do today.” Emma looked away and fiddled with one of Neal’s baby toys. That one thing was a big thing, which was to break up with her long term, live-in boyfriend, who she had gone to hell for. Emma glanced up at Regina who was looking at her with tired eyes and one raised eyebrow.

“Should I ask?” She asked. 

Emma shrugged, “It’s not like… important. But I don’t know how long it will take. There are some variables involved…” Emma trailed off, unable to meet Regina’s stare any longer. Emma was sure that her intentions toward Regina had been made clear yesterday _’and the day before, and the six years before, if you string it together’_ she thought to herself. But she didn’t want to open up about her decision to break up with Hook quite yet. 

“Probably not. But I’ll let you know if it changes.” Emma looked back at Regina earnestly and Regina nodded, taking Emma at her face. “I’ll totally take ‘lil bro for a while now if you want to sleep?” Emma added awkwardly. 

Regina sighed, “No, the two of us will be just fine here. I think Henry can help out if need be.” Regina stretched and stood, Emma made to stand, feeling that Regina was signaling her to leave. 

“I was just getting up for a refresher on my coffee, can I get you a cup?” 

“Oh!” Emma flushed and smiled, sagging down to the couch “Yes, please?” she grinned up at Regina whose eyes sparkled as she nodded in response. Regina sauntered out of the room with a little extra swing in her step. 

As Regina prepared the coffees she couldn’t hold back the smile. Emma had come. Emma had been awake and thinking about her at the crack of dawn, _again_. Regina still ached with guilt for the pain that she had seen on Emma’s face the day before, but Emma was _here_ and that filled her with buoyant hope. She heard Neal babbling in the room over, his voice rising and falling as he crawled around. 

Regina picked up the two cups of coffee and made to leave the kitchen then hesitated, she set the coffee down and undid the third button of her blouse. Regina knew that Emma wasn’t one to come around during uncertain times. She was obviously committed to keeping the closeness that had grown between them. Regina hoped to gauge further the blondes’ commitment to her; she wanted to see what undoing buttons would do to Emma. 

“Milk and sugar, right?” Regina asked as she handed the mug over to Emma who still sat on the couch. Emma nodded gratefully as she accepted the coffee. As she was raising the cup to her lips a green figure materialized in front of her and she yelped, splashing herself, but thankfully missing the couch cushions. 

“Ding-dong.” Sang Zelena happily handing a grumpy Robyn to Regina.

“What is this, a home day care?” Regina asked exasperatedly, Zelena sipped on Regina’s coffee and delicately sat down on the couch next to Emma.

“Sheriff,” Zelena grinned at Emma, “I didn’t expect to see _you_ here after that little lov-“ Emma blushed deeply and Zelena’s face split into a wicked grin “quarrel.” She finished. 

“I’m here because I wanted to check on Regina, Zelena.” Emma replied stoically, her back stiffening slightly. 

“Ooh, I bet you are.” Zelena nodded and smiled along and then turned to her sister. “Incidentally, I am also here to see how you are doing my dear sister! Are you very naughty again?” To this Regina rolled her eyes and put the now calm baby back into her sister’s arms, taking back her coffee in the same movement. 

“Moms?” The women heard the front door swing closed and Henry kicking his shoes into the wall. 

“In here, darling nephew!” Zelena called and a moment later Henry appeared. 

“Mom, you’re ok!” Henry had looked apprehensive but upon seeing Regina his face melted into relief. They met at the middle distance between them and hugged tightly, both closing their eyes. Emma watched on with stars in her eyes. Zelena nudged her foot and Emma snapped her attention to the woman who winked at her. Emma looked down and flushed again. 

Neal had made his way back to the group and grinned up at Henry. 

“Hey Uncle Neal.” Henry bent down to scoop up the boy who was reaching up to him. 

“Henry,” Emma asked, nervous for a moment, “was Killian up when you left?” Henry nodded, looking between his two Moms. 

“He was still pretty tired, I think, but yeah. He’s up.” Said Henry.

Emma made to stand, “Regina, I think I should go.” 

“What? Oh. Of course.” Regina said, trying to hide her disappointment. 

“I’ll see you later?” Emma asked tentatively biting her lip and shrugging her shoulders slightly. Instinctively Henry leaned into her and Emma relaxed slightly at his touch. 

“If you want that.” Regina replied, holding Emma’s gaze firmly. Emma’s breath caught but she kept the eye contact and nodded. 

“Yeah. Okay.” Emma gave Henry a squeeze and Zelena a wave, Regina another little nod, and her brother a tickle and then she made her way out to the bug. Emma sat there feeling a mix of things, predominantly that she had noticed Regina’s shirt had been slightly undone. The missing third button had revealed the slight curve and of her breast. _Was that on purpose?_ Emma thought gleefully. 

She started the car and made her way back through town to her house. _Maybe I should have walked._ she thought to herself as she pulled into the driveway. She sighed and leaned back against the seat. She had no idea how long this would take. In her mind she saw it going several different ways. A huge blow out that lasted hours, a short conversation that ended with Hook storming away, a violent scene? The last was unlikely. Despite how he had acted when he was the dark one, Killian had never displayed any violence toward her. That dark one act that he performed was a pretty compelling scene though, she grimaced at the thought of having to use magic on him, but if it came to that, of course she would. 

“Alright, Swan. Let’s do this!” Emma pepped herself up again. That third button undone tempered the dread that filled her stomach about crossing the threshold into her breakup. 

“Killian?” She called as she opened the front door “Hey.” She stated, seeing him hunched over the kitchen table. His eyes were red and his hair was ruffled. He smiled sheepishly up at her as she pulled out the chair across from him and sat down at the table. 

“Hello love,” he said softly, his eyes imploring. “Glad to see you home.” He added.

“Killian,” Emma sighed again, “there’s something we need to talk about.”

“Oh, I don’t like the sound of that.” He attempted to flash her a charming smile, but it didn’t register in his eyes. “Come on Swan,” he said softly “out with it then.”

Emma’s throat tightened and she closed her eyes, pushing back the tears that were threatening. “I think our time is up.” She said finally, regretting her word choice almost immediately. “What I mean is,” she blundered on, _’how the hell do you break up with someone?’_ she thought exasperatedly “what I mean is Killian,”

“Emma,” he cut her off “Surely, you can’t be serious. We’re true love.” He gestured his hand between the two of them. “Our time doesn’t run out, we are together forever! Through thick and thin, isn’t that the point of all of this?” 

“Really Killian? Do you honestly feel that we are true love? Because from what I can see, we have both been miserable lately, I don’t think it’s supposed to look like this.”

“We keep _trying_ , Swan. That’s what couples do!” His voice was gaining volume, “We don’t just run away when things get hard! Think of everything that we have been through. How could you say that we’re not true love?” 

“Killian, this isn’t me just running away. This isn’t some spur of the moment decision I made because things haven’t been perfect for me. This is so much bigger than that. We _have_ tried, we have tried for ages. Think about it.” Emma so badly wanted this to end amicably. 

“What about everything we share, Swan? What about everything… I… I gave up my whole life to be with you.” His voice had grown quieter and it shook a little bit. Emma gritted her teeth.

“Killian, I don’t know what to say, except that I… I am grateful for the time we have had together. I have learned so much from our relationship, but this isn’t right. It doesn’t feel right.”

Hook looked up at her, his eyes steely “This is about _her_ , isn’t it?” Emma was shocked. Suddenly all Hook’s cagey behavior about Regina made perfect sense; he knew how she felt. And yet here he was, still trying to keep her. Emma was mildly revolted by this, why on earth would Hook want to hold onto someone who was in love with someone else? How could he know and yet still pretend otherwise?

“No. This has nothing to do with anyone but us.” She said adamantly. “Can’t you just accept this? I don’t understand why you are clinging to this.” Hook scoffed.

“Oh? You don’t? I hardly think I am being pushy here, Swan. Have you forgotten what you did to keep _me_ around, hm? Turning me into the dark one? Do you not understand the sacrifices I have made just to make you happy?!” He was standing now and waving his arms about in frustration. 

“But I’m not happy.” Emma said quietly and he turned to her, looked her fully in the face. Hook sat back down and buried his face in his hand.  
“I am so sorry, Killian. I am sorry for all that you thought you had to give up for me. I am so sorry for forcing you into darkness. I never wanted to hurt you… I just… I can’t be with you. I _can’t keep pretending_.” His eyes flashed and he stood again. 

“You are going to regret this.” He said it calmly, he said it matter-of-factly, “I am going to go to my ship.” He looked at her with certainty in his eyes, “and when you’ve realized your mistake, I will be there, and I will let you grovel, and I will take you back, because I love you, Emma. And we belong together.” He strode over to her and bent down, kissing her firmly on the mouth. Emma flinched back, but he followed her movement, not giving her the chance to break the kiss. 

He pulled back after a moment, “You will come back to me. I know you will. I will wait for you, forever.” Emma tried not to roll her eyes at that. 

“Killian, I am not going to come back.” She stated plainly.

“Aye, lass. You keep telling yourself that.” With that he swaggered out of the house, banging the door behind him. 

Emma sank back into her chair. “Fuck.” She muttered to herself. All things considered though, it hadn’t gone that badly. She knew that it wasn’t quite over yet. Hook was obviously in denial, but there would be other stages of the breakup too. God, was it too early for a drink? Emma looked at the clock, it read 10:45. She sighed, she would have to make do with coffee for now.


	9. Chapter 9

Regina’s mood had darkened since the morning. Her lack of sleep was getting to her and she was sick of playing nanny for the day. She sat on the floor with Neal who had woken early from his nap and was just as grumpy and tired as Regina. Henry had drifted up to his room a few hours before and she hadn’t seen him since. Regina pushed away her (what was it, sixth mug?) of coffee, feeling jittery. 

She looked at the clock, 3:17. Surely that was enough time for Snow and Charming to take care of…catching up. She needed to be relieved. Regina dug through the couch cushions for her phone and started the call to Snow. It rang through until it went to voice mail. 

“Little boy, you’re parents are terrible people.” Regina addressed Neal, he looked up at her with a pouty lip and Regina softened. “Come here,” she held out her arms and he crawled over to her and burrowed into her lap. “Yes, you want to go home, don’t you.” She soothed him for a moment and then gathered herself. She tried David’s phone but it was to no avail, those two idiots were purposely ignoring her. “Selfish…” she muttered to herself. Neal had stilled in her lap, not quite asleep but staring blankly out the living room window. 

Where was Emma? Hadn’t she promised Regina that she would take over at some point? Regina angled her body so that it was more comfortable to send a text, shifting Neal so that he was fully in her lap. She flicked open the lock screen once again and tapped out a text to Emma. She started to type want to come over? Midway through the text she opted instead to take a picture of the dozing boy in her lap and sent it without a caption. Let Emma interpret it as she pleased. 

Regina lay back and closed her eyes. Neal was heavy and warm in her lap and the sleep that had evaded her for the last few nights beckoned to her with open arms. She went happily.

*** 

Snow White was held securely in her husband’s arms. It had been a wonderful day; they had reconnected (in several places around the apartment), and she was feeling closer to him than she had in some time. As if reading her mind David cut through her internal reverie.

“Mmm, this is nice, maybe we should separate more often.” He mumbled and tightened his arm around her. Snow swatted at him.

“Don’t you dare say such a thing!” She turned and nuzzled deeper into his embrace and sighed, happily taking in his scent. “As nice as this is, the separation was too awful to repeat. I will always find you, but I would prefer to do that in the kitchen making me muffins?” Snow popped her head up and grinned at him impishly. David chuckled and flexed his toes.

“Alright wife, your wish is my command.” He said with a flourish of his hand and he got to his feet and padded into the kitchen. Snow lay back, happiness bubbling through her. This was sheer joy! When was the last time she had had uninterrupted time with Charming? She didn’t want to have him taken away from her again, but this reunion could not have gone better. 

Snow grimaced and laughed thinking of their daughter walking in on them this morning, poor Emma, no daughter should have to see that. David was in the kitchen banging pots and slamming drawers and whistling while he worked. Snow looked over at the clock and was shocked to see that it read 5:47, had the day really gone by so fast? She felt a slight guilt that she hadn’t thought of her baby boy once, she supposed now was a good a time as any to call Regina and have her bring Neal home.

She scooted out of bed and searched for her discarded robe. She slipped it on and joined her husband in the kitchen. David was greasing the muffin pans with such sincerity that Snow almost burst into tears. Instead, she came up to him and wrapped her arms around him from behind, feeling his sculpted back and resting her face between his shoulder blades.

He turned around and scooped her up into his arms and for another moment they held each other. Snow slid to the floor and sighed.

“I think we have to return to reality.” David laughed and turned back to the muffins. 

“We do, why don’t you call the whole gang over. That way we can see everyone at once. We can get takeout!” He added excitedly. David was an excellent cook, but a better eater and a firm believer that food was best enjoyed when other people prepared it. Snow grinned to herself as she went in search of her phone. She found it finally under a stack of clean diapers. 

Messages received from Regina (2), Emma (2), and Henry (6), one missed call from Emma. Nervously Snow opened the messages from Emma first, they read:

Emma: (11:37) Hi Mom. When you and Dad have a minute can I talk to you?  
Emma: (4:15) Call me.

Well that wasn’t helpful at all. Snow’s nervousness mounted as she tapped the Call Back notice attached to Emma’s Missed Call. The line rang for several moments before Emma’s voice mail engaged, “You’ve reached Sherriff Swan, leave a message…”

“Emma, it’s your Mother.” Snow pursed her lips, “I’m sorry to have missed you before. Call me back when you get this.” Snow clicked off the call and nimbly flicked through her screens to Regina’s messages. The first was a picture of Neal curled up on Regina’s lap at 3:19 and the second a text asking when Regina could expect a pickup sent at 4:45. _’Oops.’_ Snow thought, though Regina couldn’t be that put out by it since she only sent the one text. 

Snow tapped Regina’s contact and the phone started to ring. Almost immediately Regina answered, her voice strained, Snow heard the sounds of banging and Neal’s loud singing in the background, and she snickered to herself. 

“Hi Regina, everything going okay?” Snow asked sweetly.

“Oh, yes. Everything’s fine. You’re on your way?” Snow held back another laugh. 

“Oh actually, we were thinking that maybe you might like to bring him over and have a family dinner here? We were thinking it might be nice since it’s been so long since we have all been together.” The racket in the background escalated as a high-pitched clanging was added to the din. “Actually speaking of, have you spoken to Emma today? I got a bit of a cryptic message from her.” Snow worried her lip.

“No, I can’t say that I have.” Regina walked out of the kitchen where earlier she had let Neal “help” with fixing his dinner. Now he was in his playpen “singing” a loud tuneless song with the help of his new instruments, the pot, the wooden spoon and the ladle. “She said that she would come over here in the afternoon to take your little monster so that I could nap, but she never showed up. Do you think something’s wrong?” Regina added with a crease of her brow.

“I’m not sure.” Snow admitted, “I will reach out to Killian, I’m sure that they are together.” Snow added sagely. Regina rolled her eyes.

“Okay, you do that. I’ll bring His Highness over in just a minute.” Regina had moved back into the kitchen and was already packing Neal’s many strewn possessions back into his diaper bag. 

“Oh, Regina. Please don’t tell me that you ‘poofed’ the baby.” 

“Oh, please Snow. It’s perfectly safe and it only takes a moment.” Regina brushed off the mother’s concern. “We will see you soon.” She clicked off the call.

Regina gathered the rest of Neal’s toys and snatched his coat from the hook by the door. She didn’t bother with the struggle of getting the boy into it since they would be using interior-to-interior transportation. Grinning down at the wide-eyed Charming, Regina swirled them away to the threshold of the elder Charmings’ door.

Snow looked up with a wrinkle of concern before she reached out for her boy with a heart-melting smile. Regina eagerly handed him over to her, she had never been more thankful that Henry was well out of infancy and on his way into adulthood. 

“Anything on Emma?” Regina asked, resuming their conversation from minutes before. 

“No…” Snow trailed off looked up at Regina “I tried calling Killian, but it rang to voice mail. They could be out on the Jolly Roger, sometimes they don’t get a good signal when they are close to the border.” Regina nodded, it was certainly a possibility, and she looked out the window.

“Do they often stay out past dark?” she gestured to Snow to the darkening sky as David joined them, wiping his hands on his pants he came up behind his wife and son and put his arms around them both.

Regina nodded her hello and pressed on with her line of questioning, “It’s just that I remember Emma mentioning at one point that being on the ship after dark spooked her a bit.” Regina bit her lip, something didn’t feel right. She and Emma had made plans, and even though they hadn’t necessarily been time sensitive, it was strange that the blonde hadn’t touched base with her at all.

“Would Henry know?” David asked, his own brow furrowing.

“Henry has been at my house for the majority of the day, he stepped out with Violet about an hour ago. We could try calling him.” David nodded and pulled out his own phone from his pocket to call his grandson. He held up the phone to his ear and after a moment he spoke.

“Hey Henry, it’s your Grandad. No, everything’s fine I just was calling to see if you had heard from your Mom at all today. No, your other Mom. Not since this morning?” David looked up at Snow and Regina, worry further creasing his face. “Okay. No problem, just having a hard time finding her. No, no don’t worry, enjoy your night. Say hello to Violet for us. Yes, your Grandma and I are very happy. Okay, bye Henry.” David clicked off his phone and stowed it back in his pocket. “No go.” He added, unnecessarily.

Regina sighed and started to pace. Where could Emma be? There were no known threats to Storybrooke at the moment, now that she had the Evil Queen had been rejoined and she hadn’t mentioned any plans with Hook to Regina earlier. “I’m going to go around to her house and just check.” Regina decided. David and Snow nodded their agreement and Regina swirled away to the Savior’s home. 

Regina materialized into a dark house. For a moment she let her eyes adjust and listened, trying to hear if there were any inhabitants in the house. When she could make out shapes and grey images she moved through the kitchen to the light pad and flipped several of the switches. The lights went on to reveal nothing. A cup and a plate sitting next to the sink and a kitchen chair slightly pulled out. _’No sign of a struggle’_ , Regina noted to herself darkly. 

Methodically Regina made her way through the house, checking each room until she had gone through them all: empty. Regina sunk down on the couch, frustration rising as she sent off a message to Snow. Where was she? A moment later her phone buzzed, a message from Snow. Regina opened it and read:

Snow White: Just got a call from Grumpy, says she’s at Rabbit Hole

Regina frowned deeper. What was Emma doing there? Were she and the Pirate having some kind of drunken date? With no further thought about it Regina whooshed herself away to said dive. 

Upon entering the bar two things became clear to Regina: the first being that this was no date with the pirate, and the second that Emma Swan was drunk. She sat hunched over the bar, several empty shot glasses lined up in front of her and a grim look on her face. 

Regina slid onto the stool next to her and reached out to touch the Savior’s shoulder. “Emma?” she asked tentatively.

“Jeeesus.” Emma jumped and turned to her, her eyes glossy. “Oh, it’s _you_.” Emma said dimly and turned back to the bar.

“Excuse me?” Regina asked incredulously, “and what exactly does _that_ mean.” 

“It means,” Emma said as she poured herself another sloppy shot, and one for Regina, “that of course you’d just show up here. How did you en..even..know that I was here?”

Regina took the drink Emma slid to her and downed it, Emma smiled at her and followed suit, spilling a little down her chin. Regina reached for the bottle, poured herself another to catch up, and shot it back with ease. Then she slid the bottle away to her right where the blonde couldn’t easily reach it.

“Grumpy ratted you out.” Regina nodded toward the dwarf who was swaying alone on the dance floor. Emma snickered, turning to look at him.

“Booo!” she jeered at him “Can’t believe you told my boss” she grumbled and turned away. Regina was torn between wanting to laugh at Emma’s state and wanting to whisk her away to her bed. 

“Want to share?” Regina prodded 

“No.” Emma said sullenly. “I didn’t want you to see me like this.” She admitted. “I hoped that…I don’t know. For once in this tiny ‘toon town I hoped that I could just disappear for a while…” Emma fingered one of the empty shot glasses.

“Why do you want to disappear?” Regina asked cautiously. 

“Bes-bec-ah-se I am all over the place. I am fifty directions all going…”she waved her hand “to fifty different places, and there’s Henry and now who’s going to take him fishing Regina? Who? What is every one going to say?” Emma looked at Regina with earnest eyes and Regina bit her lip.

“Emma…Ms. Swan,” she coaxed, “what on earth are you talking about?” 

Emma gazed solemnly at Regina, blinking several times before speaking. 

“I broke up with Hook.” She stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Regina stared at her with her mouth open. Was she serious? What could have provoked this? _’was it me?’_ a tiny hopeful voice chirped in the back of her mind. 

“You broke up with Guyliner?” Regina raised an eyebrow, fighting to keep her face smooth and impassive. 

“Yes, Regina I did.” Emma said quietly, her green eyes never leaving Regina’s. “I…left him. Or rather, I told _him_ to leave. I said, ‘hey, get out!’ and then…he was gone. _But_ he did say, ‘you’ll be back, Swan.’” Emma poorly imitated Hook’s accent, she had reached across Regina and poured herself another shot.

Regina let her, still too shocked to respond. Emma poured another for Regina too and once again Regina accepted, taking it in two sips this time. Emma held on to hers and stared morosely at the other side of the bar.

“What do you think?” she asked eventually and Regina sighed. Regina had resigned herself to flirt and banter and seduce Emma while she was still with the Captain. She would’ve coaxed her way in and when Emma finally left him it would be because she had chosen to be with Regina instead. That had been her plan...

If Emma and Hook were going through a breakup before Regina made her move… Well that would be Regina taking advantage of her emotionally distraught _best friend_. Emma couldn’t consent to a relationship with Regina when she was grieving the pirate. Regina couldn’t bear to tarnish the beginning of their romantic relationship with the sour taste of a left over pirate. 

“I think… Well, honestly I had no idea this was coming. You two seemed happy together.” Regina stumbled over her words slightly slurring her s’s. 

Emma looked at her dubiously “Really, Regina?” She asked sarcastically “You really had _no_ idea that I wasn’t…. that into him any more? You can’t think of one reason?” 

Regina blushed and reached for the bottle again, she was completely taken off guard. The calm façade that she had erected at the beginning of this conversation was starting to slip. She had in no way expected this! So she drank.

Before long both women were falling over each other, drunk and laughing. They were both jelly-legged and the bottle was nearing empty. Regina clung to Emma’s shoulder, cackling into her ear, the memory of what was so funny disappearing as several of Emma’s long hairs tickled her nose. Regina pulled herself up to her full height on the barstool; she wobbled a little but quickly regained her composure. 

“Emma.” Regina stated, “I want to ask you a question.” Emma sat up immediately, her eyes taking in Regina’s stiff stance and peering eyes. 

“Yes?” Emma asked, her voice pitching higher.

“Why, did you break up with Killian?” Emma’s insides dropped. Regina had never called him Killian to her, and somehow her talking about him then and there felt like everything was serious and real. With Hook out of the picture, there was only one other person Emma was looking at, and she happened to be perched on the stool across from her.

Had she not traveled with Regina in the dream world, it might have taken her even longer to realize her feelings for the Mayor. It might have been years more before another chance came around. How many more chances would they get? Emma had refused to waste another moment in untangling the other romantic party she was attached to; it was the right thing to do. It was. Why was Regina making her feel bad about it? Why was she using his name like he _mattered_?

Emma struggled past the alcohol haze and looked at the woman sitting across from her. What Emma had originally seen as stiff judgment in Regina’s posture, now she saw as nervous energy drawing up the Mayor’s spine. She sighed inwardly, Regina looked so beautiful, biting her lip, her brown eyes big and open, her chest lightly colored in a slow flush. Emma grinned at Regina. 

“I don’t want to talk about him.” Emma said, dropping her feet to the floor gracefully. “I just want to dance with you.” She reached out a hand to Regina who looked down for a moment with a look of consternation but her eyes slowly rose with a flirtatious glint. Regina took Emma’s hand and let her lead her down onto the tiny dance floor.


	10. Chapter 10

Emma dragged Regina by the hand onto the dance floor, to mild feigned protest. Regina was unaccustomed to dancing to modern music and her legs were wobbly from the shots she had taken. Her head was light and her face hurt from laughing, she pushed through the light haze and focused her attention on the blonde in front of her. 

Emma began to two-step; she was slightly offbeat with the music and Regina grinned at the image before her. She added her own body to the dance, and soon she had Emma dancing to her beat and mirror movements. The tempo was fast and in no time the women were sweating, their hearts beating in their throats.

As the songs changed, Regina became more confident and allowed the alcohol to take her body to more embarrassing and varied poses. Emma, who was still tipsier than the Mayor, raised her arms in the air and twisted her hips, exaggerating her movements and rolling her hips. Regina snickered and mimicked Emma’s movements, feely goofy herself and not caring all that much.

Through her own haze Emma watched Regina, she was remarkably good at dancing, she naturally found the rhythm and moved her body like she already knew the song intimately, her curves arching with the melody and stomping with the rhythm. Emma was transfixed and her movements slowed and soon she found herself inching closer to her friend.

Regina seemed oblivious to Emma, she had found herself in that perfect drink-to-music ratio that altered her senses just enough for her to feel like she was living the song. When the music changed to a slower, sickly sweet tune Regina realized she had had her eyes closed and opened them bashfully.

The first thing she saw was a pair of green eyes gazing at her intently. Regina blinked and Emma stepped back and blushed. Regina looked around the dance floor and saw that they were the only two left, the blue lights from the bar casting a solemn sheen against the walls. Regina cleared her throat and motioned that she was going back to the bar, she mimed a drinking motion and Emma nodded and followed her.

Back at their stools Emma made to order another shot, but Regina placed a hand over her arm. 

“What if we switch to water?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Emma nodded dumbly, staring down at the point where Regina’s hand still gently curled around her forearm; it radiated heat. Regina gestured to the bartender who passed them two cups and a pitcher of water. Regina poured Emma a glass and passed it to her, toasting her with her own. Emma was looking droopy, her eyes big and her movements slow. Regina coaxed Emma to finish her glass and stood.

“Are you leaving?” Emma asked with a little pout. Regina couldn’t help but smile down at her.

“Yes, I am.” Emma pouted even more and Regina laughed, “And so are you.” She pulled Emma off of her stool and snatched their coats from the hooks under the bar. 

“Nooooo.” Emma protested, “I’m having fun, I don’t wanna go home.” Regina slid on her jacket and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“Emma,” she sighed and looked at her phone, shocked to see that it was only 9:15. Regina was much too drunk for it to be 9:15. “Emma.” She started again “Why don’t you come over to my house then.” Regina steered Emma out of the bar, slipping the bartender two bills for the tab as they passed.

Emma stiffened under Regina’s hand but kept slouching forward “You don’t have to invite me over Regina.” She said in a melancholy tone. Regina rolled her eyes in the dark.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Just come over. Neither of us will be driving and I think I would like the walk, soo..” Regina held out her hand to Emma and smiled, Emma looked up, her light eyes traveling the length of Regina’s body. She took her in and how the night and the street lights were the perfect complements’ to Regina. Her makeup was smudged just a little around the eye from dancing, her form captured Emma and held her, and she was heavenly. Emma nodded and reached her hand out to accept Regina’s. Her hand was cool and soft and Emma squeezed it gently before she could stop herself.  
*** 

Emma had wanted to hold hands the whole way back to the mansion, but Regina had let go far too soon. The two walked on companionably, drunkenly, through the town. 

“God, I hope we don’t run into Henry.” Regina muttered “That’s just what he needs to see, his parents publically intoxicated.” Emma snickered, she didn’t really care if Henry saw them the only person she wanted to avoid was her former paramour. The last thing she wanted was to have another round off with Hook in front of Regina. They were walking down Main Street; it was possible for them to run into anyone. 

And as if the universe were trying to prove a point Snow, David and Neal just so happened to be leaving Granny’s right at the moment that Emma and Regina stumbled by. 

“Is that Emma and Regina? Across the street?” David asked his wife, pointing to the two creeping women, intent on remaining unnoticed. 

“Emma!” Snow called loudly and waved enthusiastically “Come over and say ‘hello!’” 

Emma groaned, “Let’s just pretend we didn’t hear.” She whispered to Regina.

“Okay.” Regina whispered back, they kept moving, Emma was tiptoeing.

“Regina! Emma!” Snow tried again and Regina couldn’t help the girlish giggle that popped out of her mouth. Emma felt a bubble of laughter rise out of her chest too, and soon Regina and Emma both were laughing so hard that they had to stop to catch their breaths.

“Honestly, those two are the worst.” Snow muttered, turning to her husband and gesturing to leave her daughter and friend to have their fit. David smiled and put his arm around Snow and hugged her. The three of them started back to the loft, David with one arm around his wife and the other pushing his son’s stroller. He turned his head and smiled, as he watched Regina and Emma clinging to the wall of a far building, still laughing.

“R-gina, I’m gonna---“ Emma couldn’t stop, the hysteria overwhelming her. Regina was slumped against the brick wall behind her laughing just as hard. Emma clenched her legs together trying desperately not to pee herself in front of Regina. The thought only made her laugh harder and her bladder clenched more. “Vicious---cycle!” Emma panted through her laughter.

“Wha-?” Regina asked, her cheeks stretched wide and her eyes sparkling with mirthful tears, she wiped some away and began to pull herself up. Emma harnessed her last scraps of self-control and stilled her breathing. 

“Okay.” She closed her eyes and took a shaky breath; her cheeks were aching from laughter “Okay. Regina. I. Have. Got.” She giggled a little a Regina tittered, still slightly manic “Shh. No-” Emma fought forward, suppressing the laughter that was fighting its way up through her. “Let’s just poof, cause I really have to-“ She bit her lip “Pee!” she spit out and Regina burst into laughter all over again, sending Emma into screaming peals herself. “Evil!” she shrieked, but that only made Regina laugh more.

 

Eventually they made it back to Regina’s. The moment they made it across the threshold Emma bolted into the downstairs bathroom, muttering curses under her breath. Regina smiled after the blonde and then turned into the kitchen to prepare them some tea. She was still smiling to herself when Henry stomped in through the front door.

“Mooooom?” He called loudly

“Shit!” Regina hissed to herself and snatched the cup of water she had poured for her self and drank it down hastily. “In the kitchen!” she called back to him distractedly as she smoothed her hair and wiped at the corners of her eyes. “Hi baby.” She said smile big.

 

“Uh… Hi?” Henry looked at her skeptically. Inwardly Regina kicked herself, _’baby, really?’_. “So, what’s up?” Henry asked as he moved through the kitchen and opened the fridge to look for second dinner. 

“Oh, nothing much.” Regina suddenly didn’t know how to stand, should she slouch and try to play it off as cool, or act, what rigid? _’Oh, god. I am a drunken mess in front of my teenage son.’_ Regina moaned to herself. She cleared her throat and attempted to act unbothered. 

“Your Mom is here. We were, just out… discussing… life matters…like mothers do…” Regina added lamely. Henry was too involved in the making of his sandwich to pay her much mind though. 

“Mm.” he grunted through a mouthful of turkey. 

“Honestly, Henry. That behavior is vile. How on earth do you expect to keep a lady interested if you act like that?” Regina scoffed, throwing a napkin at him. Henry grinned back at her with his mouth still full. He shrugged,

“I dunno, seem to be working so far for me.” He winked at her and carried his sandwich into the living room to eat in front of the tv. Regina was stunned. 

“Ms. Swan.” She declared as Emma entered, looking relieved. 

“Oh, what did I do now?” Emma whined and slumped down onto one of the kitchen stools. 

“Your son just _winked_ at me.” Regina said, still aghast. 

Emma chuckled, “Oh yeah, we’ve been practicing. I told him that that’s a good way to get the ladies. Promotes self-confidence or something. I dunno. Worked with Hook. For a while…” She added, looking up at Regina quickly. 

“Hm.” Regina said through pursed lips. “Pardon me if I refrain from finding your pirates woman-wooing ways charming.”

“Hey, he’s not _my_ pirate anymore, first of all. And secondly,” she threw Regina a wink of her own, “it’s totally charming.” 

Regina blushed slightly then busied herself with pouring their tea. Emma smiled to herself, seeing the flush in Regina’s cheeks. _’Operation-bag-Regina is coming along nicely’_ she thought to herself. _’Might need to work on the name though…’_   
“Can we eat?” Emma said getting up and looking through the fridge. She had skipped dinner and now she was feeling hungry. “I want pasta, do you have any…” she dug through Regina’s fridge and let out a yelp of triumph “Yes! Lasagna!” she pulled out a glass tupperware and opened the lid, beaming. “Is this still good?” Emma asked Regina, “You know what, I don’t even care.” Emma reached into the silverware drawer and pulled out a fork and began eating out of the container.

“You don’t want to heat that up first?” Regina asked with a cocked eyebrow. Emma looked up at her balefully making Regina chuckle “I’m not taking it away, Emma.”

“I know that.” Emma pouted and handed the container to Regina who popped it in the microwave. “Henry’s here?” Emma asked, licking her fork.

“Yes.” Regina pursed her lips again “and I am afraid I made a terrible fool of myself in front of him.” 

“I’m sure you were fine.” Emma said distractedly, her eyes on the microwave countdown. Regina just scoffed and shrugged. The microwave beeped and Regina removed the dish with an oven mitt and handed it to Emma. 

“Be careful,” Regina said with a glint her in eye “It’s hot.” Emma was momentarily lost in Regina’s gaze, her mouth hanging open slightly. 

“Thanks” Emma croaked and Regina shot Emma a perfect wink. 

 

*** 

They were on the couch watching LOST, Emma, Regina, and Henry. Henry had fallen asleep with his head on Emma’s shoulder and was snoring gently. 

“Regina.” Emma whispered, “He’s being really annoying. Can you make him stop?” 

“Shh!” Regina hissed who was completely enraptured in the episode. Emma had begged Regina to let her stay and pick up the show again, but now the blonde was regretting her decision. She was sandwiched between the two Mills’, she had originally intended this to be a way for her to get closer with Regina, but Henry had stayed to watch with them and now Regina was way more invested in the show than she was in Emma. 

Emma shifted uncomfortably; maybe if she jostled Henry enough he would wake up and go to bed. Emma started to jiggle her leg; Henry’s hot breath on her neck was making her feel claustrophobic. Emma stopped immediately when she felt a cool hand firmly still her leg. She turned to Regina who was looking at her with an amused half smile. 

“Try tickling his nose.” She breathed against Emma’s ear sending shivers of heat radiating through the blonde. Emma gulped and nodded, turning to her son she lightly tickled his nose with her index finger. The boy batted at her with his hand and grunted. Emma was spurred on by Regina’s chuckle and stretched out her finger to tickle again. This time Henry’s eyes peaked open into a glare.

“Not funny.” He mumbled, rubbing at his nose. 

“It wasn’t supposed to be, kid.” Emma smiled at the perfect boy who was still resting on her. “Go on up to bed.” Henry nodded dumbly and stretched, his eyes still half shut. He got up and slowly shuffled out of the room sleepily waving goodbye to his parents.

“I love you!” Emma called out, suddenly overcome with love for the kid. 

Regina turned to Emma, her eyes warm and sparkling. She nudged the Sheriff.

“Scoot over?” Regina asked, Emma happily stretched out, but made sure that her hand still fell within proximity to Regina’s. “I need to rewind a little bit.” Regina was saying, reaching over Emma for the remote, “I missed something while you two were talking.” She added fiddling with the remote. Emma just nodded; she wasn’t paying attention to the show. All of her attention was focused on her right hand, which was slowly creeping toward Regina.

Soon Regina found her place in the show and settled back into the couch, glancing at Emma with a soft smile before engrossing herself back in the TV. Emma’s heart was beating fast, the remaining alcohol in her system made her feel bold. She desperately wanted to be touching Regina. This had gone on long enough; here she was, in the Mayor’s home, where they were curled up on the couch together. They spend most of their free time together; flirted constantly, Emma was pretty sure that Regina felt the same way about her as she did. Yet, Emma’s nerves were up in her throat. 

The mere idea of reaching out and taking Regina’s hand in hers sent both elation and panic surging through her body in opposite directions. She inched her pinky closer to Regina, subtly shifting her body to be closer to the woman next to her.

“It’s very intriguing, but also incredibly creepy, don’t you think?” Regina asked Emma, her eyes still glued to the screen. Emma had pulled back a little at Regina’s voice, startled; she cleared her throat and nodded. 

“Yeah, definitely creepy.” She managed eventually. Emma resumed her slow movement toward Regina. Just as she was amping herself up to make the final move and stroke Regina’s hand with her pinky, Regina stretched and leaned back further into the couch, pulling her hands back over her head and out of Emma’s reach. 

When Regina stretched back she exposed a small pale stretch of taut stomach just below her belly button. Emma couldn’t drag her eyes away; they roamed over Regina’s arching figure, taking in the exposed skin with reverence. Emma’s mouth went dry and she clenched her knees together feeling the stirs of arousal prickling between her legs. She let out a shaky breath and pulled her hand away from where it lay limply stretching to where Regina’s own hand had been. 

How long could she play at this before it got creepy and weird? Emma wondered. She was desperate to make contact, but the fear of rejection was mounting in her chest. Suddenly she felt woozy, the day was catching up to her. Breaking up with her long term partner, getting crazy drunk in the early evening, and trying to cope with the rising need to be close to Regina was a lot to handle in one day’s time. She tried to calm herself down, without realizing she had started to jiggle her leg again. 

“Emma.” Regina turned to her again, putting her hand on Emma’s knee again to still her. “Shall we call it a night?” Emma froze; she didn’t want to go home. Home meant Killian could come barging in, home meant no one but her in her big cold house.

Regina still had her hand on Emma’s knee; she was relishing the contact with the blonde. It was all she was allowing herself to have. Regina’s own need to reach out and touch Emma had been so overwhelming that she had to stare straight ahead at the TV to keep herself from doing something stupid.

Now Emma was looking at her with soulful searching eyes. Regina was sure that Emma wanted more from Regina, wanted more from her _tonight_ , and Regina wanted Emma in return; desperately. The feeling of the blonde’s firm leg beneath her hand, even through the Sheriff’s denim pant’s only made Regina’s resolve flicker and sputter further. She longed to touch Emma’s face, to be taken in her strong arms, to lose all of the cloth barriers between them. Regina removed her hand from the Savior’s leg and looked away.

“You could..” Regina cleared her throat of the huskiness that had gathered there “You could stay here tonight, if you wanted.” Emma looked at her with lusting, hopeful eyes. “In the guest room of course.” Regina clarified and Emma’s face fell. The two of them stared at each other for a long moment before Emma nodded her agreement. 

“Good.” Regina whispered she wanted to convey to Emma how much she wanted her. How much she had always wanted her. This just wasn’t right, the timing wasn’t right. Regina stood up and turned off the TV. She reached out her hand to Emma to help her stand. The two women made their way up the stairs in silence, each of them wrapped up in their own thoughts. 

At the door to the guest bedroom Regina stopped, Emma opened the door and turned so that she hung back in the doorframe. 

“Regina, thanks for everything…. Today… always…” She looked down. “I just… Had a lot of fun.” Emma quirked a sad smile at the Mayor, Regina’s heart clenched at the look on Emma’s face. Regina smiled back and nodded. 

“I _always_ have a wonderful time with you too…Emma.” Their eyes met and the two women held each other’s gaze fiercely before quietly saying goodnight.


	11. Chapter 11

Regina left Emma at the door to the guest room and quickly slipped into her own room across the hall. She closed the door quietly and leaned against it, closing her eyes and trying to still the thump of her chest and damp down the heat that had blossomed in her abdomen. Regina dug her nails into her palms and cursed the existence of that stinking pirate. If it weren’t for him she could have had Emma between her legs years ago. If it weren’t for him she could be having Emma between her legs _right now_. Regina was adamant about not wanting to be the rebound to that failed atrocity, _that_ was the reason she hadn’t taken Emma by the shoulders and buried her face in her neck.

She started to pace the bedroom, her brow furrowed, hands clenching and unclenching. Not that she thought that she would ever consider what she might have with Emma to be rebound material, no, the two of them, they were larger than life. They were the Queen and that Savior. They were Henry’s parents. Regina sighed and stopped. She could blame Hook all she wanted but at the end of the day had seen Emma’s longing written clearly across her face. 

She had seen Emma’s cheeks flush and pupils dilate when her shirt had ridden up. She _knew_ that Emma wanted her. And she hadn’t done a thing about it. Regina knew that she could have reached out to Emma at any point in their long and sorted history and Emma would have responded.

Could she really keep blaming the pirate? No. The ache that she felt for Emma was purely her own creation. It was her fault. It was even her fault that Emma had drifted over to that scumbag Hook in the first place. In Neverland Regina remembered back when they were younger, back when she herself was more volatile, the way Emma lingered in her space, the way she stood by her, they way it felt when they first used magic together. But Regina had been scared, Emma had reached out to her and Regina had shut her out. And so Emma had kissed Hook and Regina had let her go. 

‘ _Stupid_ ’, she thought, her shoulders sagging. Would she ever get it right? 

*** 

Across the hall Emma was in a similar state. She had thrown herself into the guest bed rather dramatically, cursing her cowardice. She was _sure_ that she had seen Regina’s desire reflected in her eyes, she was sure of it and she hadn’t done a thing about it. _’damn it Swan!’_ , Emma kicked her heels childishly. _‘how on earth am I going woo the queen if I can’t even woo her?!’_. Emma sighed. To top it off, she was still incredibly turned on.

She closed her eyes and attempted to calm herself. Forcing her eyes closed in the hopes that if she simply kept her lids shut tight sleep would come her way. Her mind had other ideas for her though, bringing up images of Regina. Regina on the couch, Regina’s head resting against her in the wish realm, Regina dancing at the bar, Regina bouncing her baby brother on her hip. Mixed in with her feelings of arousal were the invasive feelings of joy, hope, of longing and love… Emma Swan was swooning over Regina in her guest room. Pathetic. 

_’That’s it.’_ Emma stood and started for the door _’I will never get the girl, if I don’t get the girl.’_ she pumped herself up by jumping up and down for a minute and lets out a long breath. “You can do this.” She whispered before quietly opening the door. 

Emma stuck her head out of the door and looked around sheepishly before flitting across the hall to Regina’s door. Heart in her throat Emma gently knocked on the door before she could stop herself. There was no answer. Emma knocked again, just a little bit louder. Still nothing. Emma sighed in frustration, _’Of course she’s asleep Emma, it’s the middle of the night.’_ Just to be sure though, she gently opened Regina’s door and peered into the dark room. Nothing. No lump in the bed, no light from under the bathroom door, no Regina. 

“Regina?” Emma called softly, but still there was no answer. Emma crossed the room and sat down on Regina’s bed. _’I’ll just wait a minute and see if she’s okay.’_ she told herself. After a few minutes and no Regina Emma layback on the queen sized bed, and as her head hit the pillow the scent of Regina was released into the air around her. Emma smiled and closed her eyes, inhaling the musky scent. _’I’ll just wait here…’_ she thought again, burrowing her face into the pillow, reveling in its softness, knowing that Regina’s face had done the same and with that realization a contented shiver ran up Emma’s spine.

Emma curled her legs under her and nuzzled the pillow next to her again. _’I think I’m still drunk, but Regina won’t care.’_ was her final thought before her eyes fluttered shut. Her breathing leveled out and soon Emma Swan was asleep in Regina’s bed.

*** 

By the time Emma found her way into Regina’s room Regina had already left the mansion. She had been pacing her room, feeling like a lovesick fool and desperate to unburden herself of her feelings. So she had sent a text to the one person that she might be able to share her feelings with, her sister. She had called her, at 12:15 in the morning, and Zelena had answered and then Regina poofed her way over to the farmhouse to confess.

The two sat at the kitchen table, both with steaming cups of tea in front of them. Zelena in a pale green silk robe and Regina still in the clothes she had worn that day. Regina blew on her tea and peeked up at her sister who was eyeing her skeptically.

“So, sis. What brings you to my little home on this very lake evening?” Zelena asked, not without compassion. Regina suspected that Zelena knew exactly why she was there, but decided that honesty was the best policy tonight. 

_’just rip the bandage off._ she thought “I’m in love with Emma and I think that she loves me in return.” She said to her sister. Zelena looked at her blankly for a moment and then laughed.

“Oh, sis. Yes, that’s what we all think too.” She smiled at her, eyes uncharacteristically soft. “Are you finally ready to do something about it?” she asked.

Regina sighed and sipped her tea, stalling. “I don’t know Zelena. She just broke up with the pirate. It’s not the right time.”

Zelena scoffed, “You have _got_ to be kidding me, sis. Do you really think that? The Savior has been gaga over you for far longer than Captain Hook. Even I know that and he got to this _charming_ little hamlet before me.” Zelena stirred her tea and looked at her sister with more critical eyes. “You do know that, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do. I know that…we have always shared a special…. connection. I know that that existed even when hated each other…or played at hating each other.” Regina smiled fondly, “I just can’t help but feel apprehension…now that…she has ended things with Hook…” Regina trailed off, suddenly unsure of where her fear to act was coming from.

Zelena grinned at her as if to spur her on, Regina closed her eyes and gathered herself. She was dredging up every bit of hesitancy that she could find within herself, everything that was holding her back.

“I know that we both…want each other.” Regina said carefully, “that maybe there are more feelings beneath the obvious desire.” She looked down blushing slightly. Zelena stayed silent, letting her sister work through her feelings without interruption. 

“-But,” she pressed on, “what if…what if we act on our…inclinations and then we…and then that’s all it turns out to be? What if I lose her because of it?” Regina looked up at Zelena her eyes open and imploring.

Zelena sighed and leaned back, observing her sister critically. She took a sip of her tea before she spoke and when she did her voice was gentle, but also somewhat impatient. 

“I think that it was very convenient to have Robin and Hook around.” Regina raised her eyebrow at this, but Zelena carried on “They were distractions.” She paused “I don’t think I’m being presumptuous when I suggest that what you feel for Emma far surpasses what you felt for Robin?” 

Regina bristled slightly but nodded her agreement slowly. Zelena nodded back and continued to speculate, “Now that Robin has…passed and Hook is no longer in the picture…. There is no one to hide behind.”

Regina nodded again and added, “I always knew that Hook and Emma wouldn’t last, there is no way that that fish-boy could keep her interest forever… but I thought I had more time.” She admitted, “I’m not ready.”

“I think that you are, sis.” Zelena said, reaching her hand out to Regina and resting it on top of hers. “I understand why you are hesitant, it’s a big change, but if I believed in that true love nonsense anymore maybe I would say that the two of you share that.” She squeezed Regina’s hand, Regina looked up at her sister, panicked for a moment. “Oh hush that,” Zelena withdrew her hand and swatted at her. “You know very well that I am right. What other kind of love trumps that of a soul mate, hm?” 

“I don’t know if that even matters,” Regina sighed “everything about Emma has been out of the box, is otherworldly. She is important without her labels or ties to important people. She simply _is_ and that is one of the most alluring things about her.” 

“Well that was very touching.” Zelena sniffed dramatically and grinned at her sister who had drifted off into her thoughts of the Savior. Regina glared at her half-heartedly. “But,” Zelena continued, “I’d say that that little speech is exactly why you _are_ ready to make the move on our dear Sheriff.” 

Regina nodded, Zelena was right. No matter her nerves she knew that to not act would hurt her more than to take the chance on Emma. She could neither spend her time with her without touching her and nor could she spend her time without her not thinking about touching her. Emma was the only person she wanted to share herself totally with. 

Emma was the one who Regina could imagine waking up with and dancing with, laughing with until they both grew old, side-by-side. It was the strength of her emotion that scared her, but maybe she could master it; maybe she could make this one exception and acquiesce control. If it made Emma happy, she could.

In the next room Robyn started to cry and Regina made to stand up, expecting her sister to go to the baby, but Zelena just leaned back and gestured for Regina to stay. Regina sat back down and raised an eyebrow at Zelena. Up until now Zelena had been an obsessive mother, spoiling and indulging the infant girl to no end. 

“She isn’t awake, not really.” Zelena sighed, “I’m trying to let the reins loose a bit, so to speak. More tea?” Regina hesitated before nodding, she wanted to return to her house, she was tired and nervous and craved the proximity of Emma. Knowing that she was sleeping in the room across the hall from her own made her all the more eager to get back to her house. But Zelena had come to Regina’s aid and it was clear that she wasn’t ready to let go of this moment, so Regina stayed for one more cup.

Sure enough Robyn settled down quickly enough and Regina and Zelena resumed their conversation. Zelena wanting to press Regina more on her feelings toward Emma and Regina reluctant to give up too much more of herself. She appreciated what her sister had done for her that evening but she now felt more exposed than she could ever remember being and her natural walls were starting to rebuild themselves. 

After most of their second cup Zelena yawned and signaled Regina that she could leave. Regina was grateful, and could clearly tell that Zelena could sense her own desire to be alone with her thoughts, or preferably alone with Emma. Whichever way, it was time for her to go. 

“Thank you Zel.” Regina smiled bashfully at Zelena who rolled her eyes and opened her arms to take her younger sister into a tight and warming hug. 

“Honestly, I’m just glad that you finally figured it out.” Zelena rubbed Regina’s back for good measure and then released her saying, “Off with you then. And Good luck.” Regina smiled and gave a little wave before swirling away into the night. 

*** 

Regina materialized in her own bedroom, her eyes still adjusting to the dark. She moved across her room and sunk down onto her bed but then leapt up when she felt something solid beneath her and let out a croak. Instantly the lights of Regina’s room magically flicked on and Regina had the tinglings of a fireball at her fingertips. 

“Owww.” Said the lump in her bed and Regina relaxed.

“Ms. Swan! What are you doing!” Regina demanded throwing the blanket back to reveal the sleepy blonde beneath it. 

“Regina.” Emma said thickly as she sat up and swung her feet down to the floor. Regina gulped; Emma was wearing only a black tank top and lacy black underwear. “I’m sorry.” Emma said, her eyes big and guilty looking up at her. “I saw that you weren’t here and then, I decided to wait for you to get back because I was worried, and then I just fell asleep.” She stood up and fidgeted, bringing herself closer to the Mayor.

Regina tried her best to remain unflustered, but the sight of Emma half naked in her bed had sent a flush from Regina’s groin to her face and now she was finding it difficult to breathe. 

“I can just go… I’m sorry Regina.” Emma looked down bashfully and started to inch out of the room. Regina rubbed her forehead trying to gain back some of her own composure. 

“Mis- Emma, wait.” Emma stopped and turned slowly, still looking guilty and uncomfortable. Regina couldn’t help the little smile that tugged at her lips at the sad puppy aesthetic. “It’s fine. I mean, I have many questions…but I’m not upset. Would you like to tell me why you came in here in the first place?”

At that moment Emma realized just how little clothing she was wearing and awkwardly shifted her hands around her midsection trying to casually cover herself. She cleared her throat, feeling acutely how sober she was now in relation to before when she had made the decision to come into Regina’s room. She felt like an idiot. Who goes to sleep in other people’s bed in the middle of the night without their permission?

Regina could see the discomfort in Emma’s stance and took pity on her.

“Well,” Regina started nonchalantly “I was just paying Zelena a visit. So no need to have worried about me. Apparently Robyn is having a hard time sleeping lately and she wanted my help.” Regina lied easily and made her way to her closet. She opened the door and stepped in, closing the door partly behind her so that she could change into sleeping clothes in semi privacy.

A moment later Regina emerged in a light purple nightie and silk robe. Emma tried to avert her eyes from roaming along Regina’s legs; she already felt like a total creep and didn’t want to add any more to that image. But she had never seen so much of Regina’s thigh and her eyes kept flicking back to the tops of her legs, taking in their fullness and smoothness. Emma cleared her throat and lifted her eyes to the ceiling, blushing furiously.

Regina noticed and grinned. She had purposely chosen a nightie that had a tendency to lift up as she walked. She crossed the room again to her bed and she made sure to sit with her legs crossed in such a way that Emma had quite a clear view of the round curve of the side of her rump. 

Emma stood lingering by the door, not wanting to leave but unable to find her voice or a reason for her to stay. Regina was reveling in the dynamic, thoroughly aroused by Emma’s blown pupils and she could swear that through that black tank top she could see the peaking of Emma’s nipples.

Waving her hand through the air Regina summoned her decanter of cider and two glasses and tipped her head to Emma, indicating that she would like her to join her on the bed. 

“Night cap?” she purred.

Haltingly Emma made her way to the bed and delicately sat down a measured eight inches away from Regina. Emma was dizzy with the way the night had turned, nothing she decided, stirred her more than this image of Regina before her, dripping sex appeal and seductive charm half dressed on that luxurious bed. Gingerly she reached out a hand and accepted the glass that Regina had poured for her. 

“You’re awfully quiet.” Regina husked as she sipped her drink, giving Emma a hooded gaze over the glass. Emma blushed a deeper shade of pink, Regina’s voice and proximity only added to the heat that was filling her abdomen and seeping wetly into her thin panties.

“I missed you.” Emma whispered, causing both Regina and herself to start, the raw emotion in her voice embarrassing Emma instantly and shocking Regina. Emma cleared her throat and looked down, desperately trying to pull herself together. 

“That’s why I came in here.” Emma tried again, her voice low and slightly uncertain. She set her glass down on Regina’s bedside table and cautiously inched toward Regina, brushing their knees together.

“I wanted to see you.” Emma breathed, sending shivers up Regina’s spine. Taking courage from the rapt attention Regina was giving Emma’s lips Emma grazed her hand along Regina’s knee.

“But you just saw me.” Regina murmured, her heart in her throat, Emma’s hand on her knee sending lightening straight up her legs. 

“But not like this.” Emma whispered, leaning closer so that her hair fell forward and tickled Regina’s cheeks. Regina’s breath caught in her chest and slowly she reached up and tucked the lock of hair behind Emma’s ear. She looked up to meet Emma’s eyes and in them she dark and hooded approval. 

For a moment they only looked at each other, Emma’s hand still on Regina’s knee and Regina’s hand gently tucked behind Emma’s ear. For a moment longer they stared and then they were kissing. Regina drew Emma to her, their lips meeting in a lightly, setting Regina’s face blazing and her heart pounding. Emma was soft and smooth, her lips just a little wet and Regina wanted to slide deeper into them. Emma’s grip on her knee tightened, but her lips pulled away. 

All at once panic and arousal clashed in Regina’s blood stream, Emma was pulling away from her, Emma hadn’t meant for this to be a kiss, this was too much. But then Regina saw the look in Emma’s eye, kind and cautious and hopeful. Emma smiled at Regina.

“Hi.” She whispered

“Hi.” Regina breathed back ”Come do that to me again.” She whispered before pulling her back into another kiss, this one deep and full of promise.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is rated M, it might get a little E-ish somewhere in there.

“Emma” Regina panted pulling away from the blonde. They were sprawled across Regina’s bed, their kisses getting more and more heated.

“Are you okay?” Emma rasped.

Regina sat up and adjusted the nightie that had ridden up around her waist. She smoothed her hair, taking in Emma, still lying on the bed. Emma’s own tank top had ridden up exposing her taut stomach, her hair fanned out along the rumpled bed sheet. 

“I’m fine.” Regina said, still trying to get her breathing under control. The last few minutes kissing Emma had left Regina dizzy with want. “I just need…a breather.” 

Emma sat up and reached for Regina’s hand. “But,you’re okay with _this_ right?” Emma motioned between the two of them. “With the kissing and the… maybe other stuff?” 

Regina bit her lip and smiled at Emma, she squeezed her hand.  
“Yes, Emma.” She said, “I am okay with this.” She took a moment longer to look at Emma before adding “But—“ 

Regina felt Emma tense and pull away, anticipating Regina’s rejection. Regina saw the flash in her eyes and bright Emma’s hand back and lifted her fingers to her lips. 

“This isn’t just… I feel more than… just lust for you.” Regina said quietly, feeling naked in Emma’s company.  


Emma looked away and fiddled with Regina’s hand still clasped in her own. When she looked back her eyes were sparkling. Emma cleared her throat.

“Yeah.” She started lamely, “Regina, I—it’s more than just something physical for me too.” She reached up to caress Regina’s cheek. Regina felt her eyes flutter shut at the touch.

“Oh?” Regina asked softly, leaning into Emma’s palm.

“Oh.” Emma smiled at her, adoringly. 

“So, what do we do now?” Regina asked. She felt shaky, light, and desperate to continue her exploration of Emma's mouth. 

“I just want to be with you.” Emma leaned into Regina’s neck, enjoying her scent feel of her skin. 

Regina melted as she felt Emma’s lips tickle her and pressed into Emma’s mouth, coaxing her to rub against her more and Emma tightened her grip around the Mayor. 

Regina arched into Emma, feeling her firm body giving in to her. Regina slowly lowered the Savior on top of her, tugging at Emma’s hips and letting out a mewl of encouragement at their new position. 

“Emma.” Regina breathed, canting her hips forward to meet the Saviors own. At the contact both women shuddered, Emma could feel Regina’s wetness through their underwear, she could feel the heat of her center radiating toward her. Emma pressed down into Regina who eagerly spread her legs for more.

The two met in a passionate kiss, friction sending a shock through Emma. She moaned when Regina's hand came up to cup her ass, pulling her closer.

“Oh.” Emma breathed, breaking away from the kiss, her eyes closed, enjoying the way their bodies moved together. “Oh. Regina. I—“ She didn’t finish her sentence, not knowing what she was saying. Instead she moved her hands down Regina’s body, shifting so their hips settled together. 

“I want you—“ Regina breathed into Emma’s ear “I want you.” She squirmed underneath her.

“Oh, god Regina.” Emma murmured putting her weight into the movements of her hips and finding a fluid pace. 

Emma tore at Regina’s robe, pulling the sash away and swooping down to kiss Regina’s breasts through the nightgown. Regina’s nipples stiffened as Emma mouthed them through the fabric and Regina groaned, gripping the Sheriff to her, pulling her weight down on top of her and driving her own up to meet her.

Regina yanked at her nightie and exposed her breasts. Emma paused a moment before she buried her face in the heave between them, mouthing soft kisses along the peak of one and loosely palming the other with her hand. 

Emma took one of Regina’s nipples in her mouth, tracing the rigid peak and drawing out a low thrum of pleasure from the woman under her. Regina arched into her mouth and locked her fingers into the blonde’s hair, pressing harder against her. The force of Regina’s hand against Emma's head sent a thrill of arousal down her spine and Emma moaned, her mouth full of soft flesh.

“I want more of you.” Emma husked, and Regina nodded eagerly.

“Touch me. Inside.” Emma gasped and yanked down Regina’s soaked panties before tenderly tracing her fingers up Regina’s thigh and resting them in the crease of Regina’s hip, kissing her. 

Regina ran her fingers up and down Emma’s back, feeling her muscles contracting underneath them. Her kiss was firm, her lips so soft, Emma’s tongue parting her own. Her hand just north of her cunt, Regina groaned and thrust upward seeking Emma’s touch.

Desperate to feel the Savior inside of her Regina flipped the them and began to grind hard on Emma.

Emma moaned at the feel of Regina’s heat. Regina reached for Emma’s hand and pulled it down between them, guiding it to where she wanted Emma’s touch. 

"I can’t wait, not any more.” breathed Regina, kissing Emma hard.

Emma’s eyes rolled back as she entered the Queen, finding Regina hot and wet. Emma thrust up into her with two fingers, then easily slid in a third. Regina bared down and with a low moan and worked the fingers deeper into herself, fucking herself on the Savior. 

“Oh, Emma. Yes.” Regina released a breath and Emma pulled up scooping Regina from behind pulling her onto her lap, pulling her fingers in and out of her wetly. 

“Yes. Yes. Yes.” Regina chanted in time with each thrust and Emma flipped Regina again onto her back. 

Emma bent her head to Regina’s neck, sucking and biting in time with her movements. Regina’s breath was becoming ragged, her eyes rolled back and her hands gripping Emma’s back almost painfully, nails digging in and encouraging Emma to move harder, faster.

Emma drew small circles up Regina’s slit to the base of her clit. Regina cried out and Emma flexed, adding more contact against Regina's clit making Regina cry out again, this time falling back as Emma continued her movements.

“I’ve wanted you for so long.” Emma whispered. “Regina, you feel so good. God. You are so sexy. Come for me. I want to feel you come on my hand. Regina--” Emma broke off as Regina’s legs shook and the walls of her cunt clenched around Emma’s fingers, drawing them deeper into her as she cried out one last time.

Regina buried her face in Emma’s neck and gripped her tightly. “Emma, I’m coming--I’m—I’m—“ Regina went silent as the waves of pleasure ripped through her body in a toe curling orgasm. Emma pumped her fingers, slowing her pace and coaxing Regina through the pleasure until Regina collapsed with a soft shudder beneath her.

Emma kissed Regina fully on the mouth and let her weigh settle over her.

“That was…” Regina blinked up at Emma, her eyes slightly fogged over from her experience. Regina tilted her face up to Emma’s and kissed her languidly.

After a few moments the kiss became more heated and Emma started unconsciously rubbing herself on Regina’s thigh. Regina smirked through her kisses and rolled over Emma. 

Regina pulled Emma’s her tank top off once and kissed her way down Emma’s trembling stomach, stopping first to kiss and nip at each of Emma’s rosy nipples. 

Regina took in the musky scent of Emma’s pussy. She traced her nose down her slit and pulled her underwear off with one hand, exposing Emma’s blonde curls. 

Using two fingers Regina slid open Emma’s folds exposing her cunt and clit. Regina sighed in appreciation and licked away the wetness that had pooled at her opening, relishing the taste. 

Emma cried out and jerked her hips forward to meet Regina’s face and Regina eagerly lapped at her. She drew circles with her tongue tracing them larger and wider until she could feel the base of Emma’s clit, then dipped her tongue into Emma’s opening, flicking her walls with her tongue.

Emma writhed on the bed and Regina looked up to see Emma palming one of her own breasts. 

Regina flicked her tongue up to Emma’s clit and began to circle it until it was swollen against her tongue and Emma moaned incoherently.

"Fuck. Fuck. Regina. Fuck."

Emma was close already. Regina slipped two fingers into Emma and started licking her clit in earnest, circling it and then sliding her tongue lightly up and down the length of her sex.

Gasping Emma dug her fingers into the back of Regina’s shoulder and thrust upward. Regina intensified her pressure, moving her fingers in and out of Emma silkily, aided by the wetness of Emma’s arousal.

Soon she could feel Emma’s walls clenching around her and a moment later Emma was panting, “I’m gonna come. Regina--” Emma jerked her hips, thrusting wildly into Regina and Regina rode it out guiding Emma through the last shudders of her orgasm.

When Emma slumped down against her Regina pumped her fingers two more times inside Emma’s quivering cunt and then kissed her way back up the Savior’s body to nestle herself in the crook of her neck. Emma reached out her arms and cuddled Regina into her.

They lay there for a long time in silence, half dozing and half enjoying the feel of each other, until they finally slept.

***

Regina’s alarm went off at 7:30 that morning. Regina groaned inwardly, she was wrapped in the arms of the Savior, the two of them cuddled beneath Regina’s comforter.

“Make it stop.” Emma grumbled.

Regina sighed, “I wish I could.” She shifted out from under Emma’s weight and clicked the alarm off. 

“No, see you just did it, now come back here and be with me.” Emma murmured, still draped in sleep. Regina looked down at the blonde, they were still naked and Emma’s hair was down and wild looking against the white bed sheets, the morning sun was lighting her, she looked perfect. All Regina wanted was to curl back into the sleeping woman.

“I can’t Emma.” She said, stroking her cheek. “But you are more than welcome to stay here for a while.” She bent down and kissed her shoulder and then flicked her tongue across it, tasting Emma again.

“You’re the Mayor.” Emma grumbled, “Just play hooky and stay with me. Just take the morning.” She pulled Regina back into the bed and with a little yelp the Mayor fell down again with her.

“Fine.” Regina acquiesced, burrowing her face into Emma’s neck. “But only the morning, then we both need to go to work.” 

Emma grinned up at her from her pillow “Seriously? Okay. I can’t believe you caved that easily though.” Regina pinched Emma gently.

“Hush.” She teased, “I just have more important matters to attend to at the moment.” 

Emma smiled at Regina, her eyes crinkling at the corners and Regina relaxed into her arms.

“Everything else can wait.” Regina murmured.

“It will all be there in a couple of hours, you’re right.” Emma murmured back. 

Regina’s eyes drifted up to the ceiling, her heart beating a little fasting than was natural in a resting state.

“What are you thinking about?” Emma asked her eyes closed again. Regina pulled Emma closer and buried her face into the crook of Emma’s neck and sniffed. 

“Nothing…” she trailed off “Just…” she sighed. Emma began slowly rubbing circles along Regina’s back. 

“It’s okay.” Emma soothed, “I’m not going anywhere.” Reading Regina’s response correctly. 

“You’re not?” Regina asked, still unsure if the night before had meant as much to the blonde as it had to her.

“Nope.” Emma confirmed “Well, I might have to go to Granny’s for lunch later. But you are more than welcome to join me for that.” Emma teased.

Regina sighed and cuddled closer to Emma. “Okay.” She murmured her fears alleviated for the time being. Emma was here with her now and they had shared a wonderful night together. Regina smiled into the Saviors skin and the two drifted off to sleep again together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end!! Thank you all who have showed interest. This is the first story that I have ever written and I am completely thrilled with the response and it was so much fun to write. I love these fools.


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